Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a joint letter Monday with 16 other Republican governors urging Congress to reauthorize the Farm Bill, which is the legislation that authorizes financial assistance programs for American farmers.
Congress has failed to reauthorize the 2018 Farm Bill in the typical five-year window. The bill originally expired in 2023, and Congress passed a one-year extension but still has yet to pass the bill.
The bill expires at the end of the fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30 for the federal government, however, many agricultural programs will be operational until the end of the year. Congress will have to pass another extension or finalize a new bill during the lame-duck session before a new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3.
With divided control of Congress — Republicans control the U.S. House of Representatives and Democrats currently control the U.S. Senate — the two chambers have failed to agree on a final bill. Democrats are pushing for expanding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or grocery assistance funding, while Republicans are pushing for more agricultural programs within the bill.
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The letter, signed by 17 Republican governors, including Reynolds, warns that further delays in passing a new Farm Bill could further jeopardize the financial well-being of America’s farmers.
“An outdated Farm Bill — last reauthorized in 2018 — has left America’s farmers and ranchers operating under a framework that is no longer viable,” the group of Republicans wrote. “Since the expiration of the latest Farm Bill, conditions have dramatically changed; another year-long extension will leave farmers working under an outdated plan as they continue to face evolving challenges in today’s agricultural landscape.”
The group wrote that inflationary pressures have raised input prices for farmers dramatically while high interest rates, supply chain disruptions, an agricultural trade deficit, and stagnating commodity prices have decreased their income.
“Agriculture not only serves as the foundation of our economies, but it embodies our way of life,” the letter reads. “It provides the food, fiber, and fuel that we all depend on every single day to survive. However, this crucial industry has faced powerful headwinds beyond its control.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has forecast a decrease in net farm income in 2024, pointing to a downturn in the agricultural economy as farmers feel the squeeze from rising input prices and stagnant commodity prices.
“Our nation’s agriculture industry is in trouble and if meaningful support is not provided soon, the well-being of the nation is at risk,” the group of governors wrote. “Reauthorization of a Farm Bill and immediate assistance in the interim will allow farmers and ranchers to do what they do best—provide for America and feed the world.”