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Lobbyist: Ag credit could be part of farm bill discussion

A lobbyist with the American Bankers Association says the next farm bill could look a lot different from previous farm bills.

Ed Elfmann says ag credit might be a big part of the discussion this time around.

“Credit has not been a big part of the farm bill since the 1980’s,” Elfmann says, “and part of that has been (because) credit is good, the economy is strong in rural America and agriculture–and there hasn’t been a need to really look at credit and how it’s associated as part of the farm bill.”

But Elfmann says that could change in the next farm bill.

“It all comes back to being able to pay your obligations and bills, which is all credit-related,” he says, “and this farm bill, depending on what the economy looks like in six months, could be a lot different than what we’ve seen in the past.”

Elfmann predicts farm bill discussions will get underway by next spring.