The 2018 Farm Bill expired for a second time last month, when the extension ran out on Sept. 30.
Major programs funded through the bill like food assistance and crop insurance are still going. But the bill is stalling out as farmers reckon with and
That鈥檚 on top of federal data that shows for the second year in a row.
are hitting farmers particularly hard, according to Roger Cryan, chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e in the red and next year is looking even worse,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a call for help right now, for the natural disasters and economic disasters that farmers are facing all over the country.鈥�
Cryan said an updated farm bill would help the agriculture industry through tough weather spells and economic challenges.
鈥淚f that had gotten done in 2023, then 2024鈥檚 economic crisis would not be nearly what it is now,鈥� Cryan said. 鈥淭he amount of help that鈥檚 needed now would not have been as great.鈥�
Today鈥檚 high input costs and low crop prices overpower any assistance farmers get from the old farm bill, according to Cryan. He called the 2018 bill鈥檚 reference prices 鈥� which trigger payments to farmers when a crop price falls below a certain level 鈥� 鈥渕eaningless.鈥�
鈥淭he biggest hole in the 2018 Farm Bill are the reference prices,鈥� Cryan said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e really problematic for farmers, and I鈥檓 afraid they may continue through another extension.鈥�
He said he hopes lawmakers can approve a new bill before the year ends, instead of passing another extension.
Until recently, extensions were uncommon over the bill鈥檚 90-year history. Congress has used extensions for
鈥淚t鈥檚 become a standard thing to not get this done on time,鈥� Cryan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate, because it鈥檚 kind of the last big bipartisan thing that gets done in Congress on a regular basis.鈥�
What programs are affected?
The reports these federal programs are among those that may have lost funding or authority to operate when the extension expired Sept. 30:
- Some conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program
- Some animal health programs, such as the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, the National Animal Vaccine Bank and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network
- Some programs aimed at supporting biofuels, such as the Biobased Markets Program and the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels
- Some programs for beginning and underserved farmers, such as the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program 鈥� including the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Grant Program
Kalee Olson is the policy manager for the Center for Rural Affairs, a nonprofit that focuses on rural communities and farmers.
Some U.S. Department of Agriculture programs the center participates in 鈥� including the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program鈥� lost funding or authority when the extension expired. But Olson said the center鈥檚 staff hasn't been impacted by the expirations to date.
鈥淭hey might affect the timeline of a grant cycle, like when USDA staff review grant proposals or when they announce new awards,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 usually some ebb and flow in these grant cycles either way.鈥�
The impacts haven鈥檛 reached the farmers who participate in the programs, according to Olson.
鈥淔ortunately, none of our farmers have been affected by the expiration,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that these programs and resources continue for our beginning and underserved farmers, because they really give folks a leg up in this industry.鈥�
Food assistance聽
The expiration does not affect funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which takes up about and sends out food assistance to more than
SNAP relies on the federal government鈥檚 overall budget, which is currently supported by a
But the massive program鈥檚 effectiveness is still curtailed by high grocery prices, according to Tim Williams. He鈥檚 the government affairs and advocacy officer at which serves Nebraska and western Iowa.
A combination of inflation, pandemic effects and the lingering impacts of the 2019 flood have pushed demand at food pantries to four times higher than 2018 levels, according to Williams.
鈥淭he need has been steadily increasing and now it鈥檚 higher than it ever was during the pandemic,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 putting a strain on the resources and really overwhelming our pantry network.鈥�
Williams said SNAP is the most effective tool at fighting hunger and empowering people to make choices about their diets. He said a new farm bill with updated support would help with the region鈥檚 food insecurity and reduce the burden on food pantries.
鈥淎nother extension would keep people where they鈥檙e at now,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e arguing for an elevation of benefits to make sure those dollars will stretch to meet high prices where they are.鈥�
What鈥檚 next?
Congress could pass another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill or approve new legislation, likely after November鈥檚 election. They鈥檒l need to do either before the end of the year to avoid triggering permanent law for commodity support programs, which would make the government
The Farm Bureau鈥檚 Roger Cryan called it a 鈥渢icking time bomb鈥� that holds Congress accountable for stalling legislation.
鈥淚f this drags out too far, milk would get support at levels that are extremely high. The government would be purchasing milk at a price that鈥檚 double the current price,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would disrupt markets.鈥�
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives called the farm bill a 鈥渕ust-pass item鈥� in a September letter to Speaker Mike Johnson. Out of 220 House Republicans, 140 calling for a floor vote on new legislation in a lame duck session following the November elections.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also listed the farm bill for post-election legislation.
鈥淔armers and ranchers do not have the luxury of waiting until the next Congress for the enactment of an effective farm bill,鈥� the lawmakers wrote in the letter.
This story was produced in partnership with a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.