More than 500 agricultural stakeholder organizations were part of a letter sent to legislative leaders imploring that a farm bill be finalized sooner rather than later; sooner meaning by the end of the year.
The letter was addressed to Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House; Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader; GT Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture; David Scott, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture; Charles Schumer, Senate Majority Leader; Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader; Debbie Stabenow, Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture; and John Boozman, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.
Letter Content
“We write to express our gratitude for your efforts to advance the 2024 farm bill within your jurisdictions and to seek your continued support for passing this critical legislation before the end of the year,” the letter read. “If Congress does not come together this year to enact a bipartisan farm bill, the legislative process will begin anew in the 119th Congress.
“Given the significant legislative, and possibly administrative, duties of a new Congress including the seating of new leadership and committees, Senate nominations, and other essential actions during the first months of the 119th Congress, we have concerns that it may not be logistically or politically feasible to advance a new farm bill early in the next Congress. As committed stakeholders and beneficiaries of the farm bill, we cannot continue to wait for updated policies, provisions, initiatives and critical funding that support our collective interests.
“Therefore, we respectfully and strongly urge you to craft a bipartisan farm bill that can pass your respective chambers and be conferenced and enacted in this Congress.”
Organizations that were part of the letter included the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, Georgia Agribusiness Council and American Farm Bureau Federation.
Click here to read the letter.