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Iowa agriculture monitoring slow farm bill movement

Some members of the ag industry say time is running out for lawmakers to finalize a new farm bill before the end of the year.

Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig tells Brownfield there are some obstacles blocking progress. “Passage of a budget,” Naig said. “We’ve got another shutdown looming here in November. Where does the farm bill fit into that? I think it’s critically important, however when it stacks up against those other things maybe it can’t find time on the calendar.”

Southwest Iowa farmer Ray Gaesser says producers need certainty heading into 2024. “We really need to get back to normal. Well, whatever normal is. Normal production of legislation. We’ve got to get that done and the sooner the better.”

Secretary Naig says a one-year extension of the 2018 legislation is looking more and more likely.