The 2024 Farm Bill, formally titled the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (H.R. 8467), is facing delays in Congress, leaving the agriculture sector in limbo. The bill, which proposes sweeping updates to agricultural policy, has significant implications for Arkansas, where agriculture remains the state’s largest industry.
House Advances the Farm Bill Amid Partisan Divisions
Introduced on May 21, 2024, the bill was approved by the House Committee on Agriculture but has since been met with partisan opposition. Republican Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.), who spearheaded the legislation, expressed optimism about its potential impact.
“We brought the voices of American agriculture to the table,” Thompson said. He emphasized the bill’s provisions for nutrition programs, rural support funding, and crop insurance. “It allows a farmer and a rancher to pay enough bills off to keep farming for the following year.”
Thompson highlighted critical support for dairy farmers, particularly in his Pennsylvania district. “Dairy is our largest commodity. And the Dairy Margin Coverage program is a fairly new risk management tool,” he explained.
About 80% of the bill’s funding is allocated to food and nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). “The nutrition title is about food security,” Thompson added. “We should take great pride that we help neighbors in need. This is a really strong bipartisan bill.”
Democratic Opposition and Challenges Ahead
House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) criticized the bill for cutting nearly $30 billion in food and nutrition assistance. “No one believes with any degree of credibility that the farm bill that emerged out of the AG committee has a shot,” Jeffries said.
Despite the opposition, Thompson remains confident that both the House and Senate versions of the bill will pass, with compromises reached through negotiations.
Arkansas Leaders Stress Importance of Funding
Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward underscored the need for timely action, citing potential losses of up to $170 million for the state’s agriculture industry. Nationally, losses could exceed $35 billion.
“With agriculture being our state’s largest industry, you take a hit like that, and it affects a lot of rural communities,” Ward said. “It just kind of ripples throughout the economy.”
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has also urged Congress to act, joining other governors in sending a letter emphasizing the urgency of the bill. In October, she toured Arkansas farms with Sen. John Boozman and Ward to assess the industry’s critical needs.
Broader Implications of the 2024 Farm Bill
The bill proposes extensive updates, including $43.4 billion in additional funding for commodity support programs and investments in conservation, trade, and rural development. However, it offsets these increases with $20.6 billion in cuts to nutrition programs and $1.8 billion in reductions to conservation efforts.
Key provisions include:
- Commodities: Higher revenue guarantees for Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs, and increased support for dairy farmers.
- Conservation: Enhanced funding for programs like the Forest Conservation Easement Program, emphasizing sustainability.
- Trade: Reauthorization of international food aid programs and expanded export promotion initiatives.
- Rural Development: Merged broadband access programs and funding for rural healthcare, business development, and childcare infrastructure.
If Congress fails to pass the bill, the 2018 Farm Bill will need to be extended for another year. Boozman, the incoming chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is expected to leverage his position to prioritize Arkansas’s interests.
A Critical Moment for U.S. Agriculture
The 2024 Farm Bill aims to modernize agricultural policies to address challenges such as climate change, market fluctuations, and rural infrastructure needs. However, its delay highlights ongoing partisan divisions over how to balance support for farmers with fiscal constraints. As negotiations continue, the bill’s outcome will have lasting impacts on farmers, rural communities, and families nationwide.
MORE INFO HERE: https://sustainableagriculture.net/our-work/campaigns/fbcampaign/what-is-the-farm-bill/
