FARM BILL CRUNCH TIME: Congressional ag leaders are running out of time to secure a farm bill deal by the end of the year. A Hail Mary: But Senate Ag Democrats appear to be trying to spark some movement, or at least force a floor vote before lawmakers ultimately add an extension to a year-end funding package. Retiring Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) met virtually with her panel Democrats late Sunday evening and told them that she will release the text of her own farm bill, as Meredith reported. Remember, Stabenow pressed House Democrats to back her own farm bill framework over the House GOP farm bill legislation back in May. But she never released the text of her own bill. First in MA — the details: The full bill text largely aligns with Stabenow’s bill framework she put out at the beginning of May, according to a summary of the bill obtained first by MA. But it builds on that May proposal with $39 billion in additional resources, a boost paid for using a similar method of restricting USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation as the House bill, though the Senate bill wouldn’t make that permanent. That $39 billion includes what appears to be additional funding for crop reference prices — something Republicans want. As in her May framework, Stabenow’s bill would permanently authorize conservation programs (something Republicans are ready to fight over) and bring all of the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate-smart ag money into the farm bill. The bill now includes a permanent disaster assistance structure to get future aid to farmers quicker, per the new outline. IN THE HOUSE: Ag Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) told reporters last week that farm bill negotiators are going to “be prepared for an extension.” “We can't go past Dec. 31,” which is when most major ag programs authorized under the bill would lapse, he said. “So I think we're ready for an extension.” Still, he added: “I'm not giving up on really doing our job.” It’s still hard to see how any new farm bill reauthorization could clear Congress before the end of the year, even if Republicans in the Senate hammer out a deal with Stabenow. Any lame duck farm bill would need to pass via suspension of the rules in the House, given long-standing opposition by ultraconservatives. That means it would need a significant number of Democratic votes. It isn’t clear whether Speaker Mike Johnson would even put it up for a vote at this point, with his job in the balance. For now, the more likely scenario is that lawmakers add a one-year farm bill extension to a federal funding stop-gap measure or another must-pass bill before the end of the year. (Over the weekend, Speaker Mike Johnson signaled that House Republicans will punt appropriations bills into early 2025.) Senate Democrats may try to force a floor vote on Stabenow’s bill in the meantime. Current Senate Ag ranking member John Boozman (R-Ark.), who is poised to hold the gavel next year, told MA last week that “sooner is better” to get a farm bill done. House Ag member Max Miller (R-Ohio), meanwhile, told us that while he’s “disappointed” in the farm bill’s delay. “I do believe it'll get through in the first six months” of 2025 under the GOP trifecta,” Miller boldly predicted. Klobuchar’s view: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who’s gearing up to take over as the top Democrat on the committee after Stabenow retires, has been urging passage of a new farm bill before 2025. She told our Marcia Brown that Congress will need to focus on tax reforms next year and will be pressed for time to hammer out major nutrition and climate programs that need to be authorized in the farm bill. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a farmer himself, told MA it “would be great to have the certainty” the farm bill provides for farmers. “I've said from the beginning, this can get done, we just gotta make it a priority … I think Debbie's working hard to get it done.” EYES ON DISASTER AID: Lawmakers are anticipating the Biden administration sends them a disaster aid request this week outlining needed relief following hurricanes Helene and Milton, our Jennifer Scholtes reported. A letter sent by the White House’s Office of Budget Management obtained by POLITICO highlighted rural needs for extra funding to assess damage and restore infrastructure and for farmers to receive extra government support for crop losses. Congressional leaders aim to then finalize and pass a bipartisan assistance package sometime after Thanksgiving that could total more than $100 billion. Ag lawmakers in particular are pushing for that package to include relief money for farmers hit by Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters.
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