By Ryan Hanrahan
Politico’s Grace Yarrow reported that “the House Agriculture Committee advanced the Republican-led farm bill in a 34-17 vote early Thursday after a marathon markup that was clouded by partisan fighting about the package. The legislation was backed by seven of the panel’s Democrats: Jim Costa (Calif.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Don Davis (N.C.), Gabe Vasquez (N.M.), Adam Gray (Calif.), Kristen McDonald Rivet (Mich.) and Josh Riley (N.Y.).”
“Committee Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) said ‘you’re not going to find, in construction, a more bipartisan bill,'” Yarrow reported. “‘I hope everyone in this room has a sense of urgency about what we are doing today,’ Thompson said. Ranking member Angie Craig (D-Minn.) said that despite ‘bipartisan improvements’ during the amendment process, the package ‘remains a disappointing farm bill process that does not meet the moment.'”
“The bill largely resembles Thompson’s legislation that advanced out of committee nearly two years ago,” Yarrow reported. “It includes sweeping updates to agriculture and nutrition policies that haven’t been formally reauthorized since the last farm bill was passed in 2018.”
Agri-Pulse’s Kim Chipman, Lydia Johnson, and Steve Davies reported that “it’s not clear if the bill can pass the full House or Senate but it would authorize programs that couldn’t be included in the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025. The OBBBA put more money into commodity programs, crop insurance and foreign market promotion while cutting nutrition assistance. Congress hasn’t passed a full farm bill since 2018.”
Source : illinois.edu