The New WTF: Where's the Farm Bill? [View all]

It has been over a month since the House Committee on Agriculture marked up its version of the Farm Bill. After an initial flurry of activity, the legislation appears to have lost its momentum. Across the Capitol, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman recently signaled to reporters that he anticipated unveiling a Senate framework soon, yet there has been little evidence of measurable progress.

During a recent meeting with the North American Agricultural Journalists, a bipartisan group—including Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Boozman (R-AR), alongside Representatives Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Shontel Brown (D-OH)—discussed the path forward.

Both Lucas and Boozman emphasized the critical need for bipartisanship. However, the House markup revealed a different reality: House Republicans largely bypassed a collaborative drafting process. Instead, they synthesized previously introduced bipartisan bills into a first draft without broader consultation. Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) underscored the disconnect, noting that for a bill to garner true support, “Congress [needs] to act swiftly to end inflationary tariffs, stabilize trade relationships, expand domestic market opportunities like year-round E15, and help lower input costs.”

Representative Lucas noted that with the midterms approaching, the window for action is closing. If Congress fails to pass a bill before committee leadership changes, the entire process could reset. Under House GOP rules, Chairman GT Thompson is term-limited; should Republicans retain the majority, a new chair would take the gavel. If Democrats win the House, a new Democratic chair would be selected. In either scenario, it is highly likely that the next Congress would start from scratch rather than build upon the current text.

https://onecountryproject.substack.com/p/the-new-wtf-wheres-the-farm-bill