News
Farm bill advances out of Committee with crucial bipartisan support
The House Ag Committee approved the 2024 Farm Bill with bipartisan support. Following the vote, Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson told members, “A majority having voted in favor of the motion, as agreed to, and HR 8467, as amended, will be reported favorably to the House.”
Four Democratic members voted for the measure providing some momentum as it awaits floor time. Eric Sorensen a Democrat from Illinois voted in favor of the bill, Don Davis of North Carolina, Yadira Caraveo of Colorado, and Sanford Bishop of Georgia also voted in favor of the measure.
In a statement to Brownfield, Congressman Sorensen said while the bill is not perfect, it does expand crop insurance and gives farmers and their families the resources needed to thrive. He says he’s optimistic Congress can work together in a bipartisan way to address the bill’s shortcomings, including cuts to SNAP and climate-smart agriculture.
The American Soybean Association says it is pleased with the bill’s advancement. The group says the bill includes significant enhancements to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of the farm safety net, meaningful investments to promote expansion and diversification of markets, and protection of vital programs like crop insurance and the soy checkoff.
House Ag Committee Ranking Member David Scott says the partisan farm bill makes the largest cut to SNAP in nearly 30 years and undermines historic climate investments secured by House Democrats in the Inflation Reduction Act. Scott says that while the bill has advanced out of Committee, it has no future and doesn’t have the Democratic support needed to be brought to the House floor.
Following the mark-up Thompson told Agri-Pulse he doesn’t expect the bill to get floor time before September, and added it could help some lawmakers in their re-election races.
