As the agricultural community looks ahead to 2025, it can take some solace in knowing that Congress did the minimum: members agreed on a one-year extension of the Farm Bill.
This marks the second straight year that the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives and the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate failed to agree on a traditional five-year framework and instead extended the original 2018 five-year spending plan that impacts crop support, insurance, conservation, climate initiatives, nutritional programs, and more.
RELATED: Farm Policy Facts, a non-profit coalition of agriculture groups, produced this historical piece on the origins of the 1933 Farm Bill. Find that here.
Late last Friday, Congress approved the extension, which includes $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers. The legislation also contained $20 billion for producers who have been hit hard by drought, flooding, and hurricanes.
Agriculture Dive provides specifics on which producers are eligible for assistance. The piece also looks at the urgency that Congress may face next year for a new Farm Bill as many producers suffer through a difficult economic landscape.
Not included in the Farm Bill extension was the plan for the expansion of year-round sales of E15 ethanol fuel, which biofuels supporters had hoped would bring increased demand for their surplus product in 2025.
Stripping out the E15 expansion in the final version of the extension brought this response from National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman, Jr.:
“Corn growers are deeply disappointed that a permanent, year-round E15 solution was not included in the end-of-year legislation package. This no-cost provision would have provided a market-driven solution to farmers experiencing low corn prices. We call upon legislators to address this matter quickly in the start of the new Congress and fix this issue once and for all.”
RELATED: U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra, an Iowa Republican who represents the ag-heavy northwest part of his state, had previously expressed optimism for E15 expansion when he talked with American Farmland Owner during Congress’ final negotiations.
Meanwhile, the USDA launched a new program called the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, which is focused on expanding the domestic specialty crop market. Certain fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, Christmas trees, honey, and tea are included in the program.
Read how the program works and what crops are not included in this story from KRCR-TV in Chico/Redding, California.
The USDA also announced a new program that makes $220 million available in loan guarantees to support wood processing facilities. The purpose is to reduce the risk of wildfires in forests on public land.
Secretary Tom Vilsack, who is spending his final weeks on the job after serving three terms under two presidents (Barack Obama and Joe Biden), said when he launched the program on Monday that it will have both economic and environmental benefits.
“Rural America is the backbone of our country, providing the everyday essentials we all depend on,” Vilsack said.
A USDA statement said that the new program could cover 20 million acres of national forests that the agency’s Forest Service manages.
