Ag Committee Leaders Remain Positive on Farm Bill Completion

US Capitol building flanked by the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court
US Capitol building flanked by the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court
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House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders commented last week on both chambers’ commitments to completing the Farm Bill in 2023.

In a statement to reporters, Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) said he is hopeful to complete a farm bill by the end of the year.

“Right now we’re actually getting text down on paper — that’s a good thing,” he said. “We’re trying to get this done by October 1 when it runs out, but we want to get it done for sure by the end of the year.”

Commenting on the prospect of pushing the bill to 2024, he said, “The problem is when you get into the election years, and election-year politics, it makes it harder (to get things done).”

Similarly, Politico reported that House Ag Committee Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) “laid out the rough timeline for the farm bill during a closed-door, panel member-only meeting earlier this week” with an early September text drop and mid-September committee markup.

SOURCE: NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL