Farm Bill Delays, Tariffs, and Market Volatility Challenge U.S. Farmers

By Bob Bragg

The U.S. Farm Bill is supposed to be rewritten by Congress every five years, but the 2018 Farm Bill, which expired in 2023, has yet to be updated, but it was extended until the end of this month. The Bill is supposed to govern federal agriculture and food policies, that include supplemental nutrition assistance,conservation programs that promote sustainable farming practices, support for the dairy industry, through the Dairy Margin Coverage program, and crop insurance. But Congress hasn’t been able to get their act together, and it’s likely that we will see another extension or two or three before a new Bill becomes a reality. It’s reported that at this point, it is doubtful that the House Republicans will be able to move the Bill out of the House Ag committee any time soon, and Senate Agriculture Committee members are hedging their bets that the Bill will be approved by the Senate, and signed before the end of this year.