News

Farm bill leaders target week after November elections

House and Senate Ag Committee leadership have targeted mid-November to finalize the 2018 Farm Bill.

Ranking Member Collin Peterson tells Brownfield he and House Chairman Mike Conaway recently had a productive meeting with Senate Ag Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow.

“We’re all committed to getting this done, and everyone in that meeting accepted the goal of having the bill agreed to, written, and CBO-scored by the week after the election.”

Peterson says both parties have ground to give on partisan issues like the nutrition, conservation, and commodity titles.

“If they insist on keeping these bills (the way they are) so they can make Republicans in the House happy (or) Democrats in the Senate happy, this bill will not get done.”

He suggests Conaway and Stabenow are furthest apart on the main sticking point, SNAP work requirements proposed in the House farm bill.