Our question this week comes from Steven in Hanford. He asks:
"With all the chaos this year in Congress, what is the status of the Farm Bill?"
Thank you for your question, Steven. For those who might not know - the Farm Bill is a package of legislation that governs a wide range of agriculture, forestry, and nutrition programs, and is typically reauthorized every five years, While the 2018 Farm Bill expired at the end of September this year, funding for many Farm Bill programs – like nutrition assistance and crop insurance – were not impacted by this date. Earlier this month, Congress passed a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill to give us more time to work on a full five-year Farm Bill.
This extension allows the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to continue working through drafting text that aligns with the needs of producers, rural communities, and food-insecure families. Earlier this year, I hosted House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson and other bipartisan members of the committee at the World Ag Expo for a Farm Bill Listening Session. This event gave Central Valley producers, growers, and food banks the opportunity to share their input and ensure the Valley has a seat at the table for the final draft of the bill.
The timing of the Farm Bill, like all other major legislation this Congress, is largely tied to the outcome of appropriations and availability of Floor time. As a Farm Bill task force lead for the western region, I’ll continue working closely with Chairman Thompson to ensure the Central Valley has the resources we need to continue growing the food that feeds the nation and much of the world.