In a move that has left many farmers across the nation seething, the House of Representatives has decided to take an early summer recess, leaving the much-needed farm bill in the dust. As the clock ticks towards the expiration of the current farm bill extension on September 30th, farmers are left to wonder if their pleas for assistance will ever be heard.
With the farm bill in limbo, farmers are facing a myriad of challenges, with record-low grain prices and plummeting income. The lack of progress on the bill has left many feeling abandoned by their elected officials, who seem more interested in their summer vacations than in addressing the urgent needs of rural America.
“It’s like they just don’t care about us,” said one frustrated farmer from Nebraska. “We’re out here working our tails off, and they’re off sipping margaritas on the beach. It’s just not right.”
The farm bill, which covers a wide range of agricultural and food assistance programs, is a critical piece of legislation for farmers and rural communities. Without a new bill in place, farmers are left to navigate an uncertain future, with no clear path forward.
Republicans and Democrats cannot reach an agreement on what should be prioritized in the bill. Unfortunately most of the “farm bill” doesn’t even seem to be about helping farmers. Most of it deals with increasing “food stamps.” “SNAP is far and away the largest farm-bill program, accounting for more than 75% of the spending,” reports DTN. Another important point of contention is over immigration.
.@jasoninthehouse: "Conservatives, led in large part by the Freedom Caucus, took down that bill. They voted 'no' on the farm bill. because they wanted a promise that they could vote on the more conservative immigration bill." https://t.co/eZhzXocqUl pic.twitter.com/qyVHiKrKy3
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) May 18, 2018
As Congress enjoys their not-so-deserved summer break, farmers are left to wonder if their voices will ever be heard. Will the farm bill be passed before the current legislation expires? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain: farmers are not happy with the current state of affairs.