Farm Bill Text Released
Leadership of the farm bill conference committee released the text of the bill late last night which is to be considered by Congress later this week. The 2018 farm bill, titled the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, reflects a hard-fought bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a five-year farm bill to strengthen U.S. agricultural, according to leadership. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts thanked his counterparts, in announcing the text, for “coming to and staying at the table to reach a bipartisan” agreement. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway says “passing a farm bill this week that strengthens the farm safety net is vitally important.” The conference report was signed by the Senate and House Farm Bill conferees and will be considered with a vote in both chambers, likely Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
The full text of the report is available here: https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20181210/CRPT-115hrpt1072.pdf
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Farm Bill Passage This Week
Lawmakers will consider and are expected to pass the farm bill this week, or possibly next. Long-awaited by agriculture, the farm bill will continue to provide a much-needed safety net as the industry endures a depressed farm economy. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy lists the farm bill for a potential vote this week. The last votes in the House of Representatives are expected by Thursday afternoon, with no votes Friday, according to the Hagstrom Report. Ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson, has said he expects the House to consider the farm bill Wednesday, followed by a Senate vote on Thursday. Though, some say consideration of the bill could spill into next week, the final expected week of the current congressional session. Speaking to reporters last week, Peterson said “almost all” House Democrats are likely to vote for the bill.