Senate unveils a different version of the 2024 Farm Bill

On May 1, U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) shared competing proposals for the 2024 Farm Bill.

Stabenow unveiled the Rural Prosperity and Food Security (RPFS) Act, a farm bill proposal containing more than 100 bipartisan bills, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), designed to boost federal support for farmers and rural communities while protecting conservation and climate funding.

According to Stabenow, the RPFS Act will strengthen access to the farm safety net, enhance local and regional food systems, fully protect nutrition assistance and develop the food and farm system, all while rejecting harmful policies which would undercut local and state authority and restrict the Secretary of Agriculture’s authority to respond to emergent agricultural needs.

“The foundation of every successful farm bill is built on holding together the broad, bipartisan coalition of farmers, rural communities, nutrition and hunger advocates, researchers, conservationists and the climate community,” Stabenow states.

By investing in nutrition assistance and incentivizing farmers to boost access to fruits and vegetables in their communities, Stabenow says the bill will help more working families make ends meet and improve the overall quality of life for people who live in rural communities.

Like the House proposal, the Senate overview is accompanied by separate title-by-title summaries, including bipartisan bills put forth during this Congress. 

Summary

The RPFS Act would improve the quality of life in rural communities by strengthening rural healthcare, childcare and education.

It would also create well-paying jobs, expand access to high-speed internet and lower costs for families and businesses. 

Additionally, the RPFS Act supports increasing the commodity crop reference prices by at least five percent, which triggers payments under the Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage programs.

The bill supports protecting producers, consumers and the economy from devastating animal disease by increasing funding for early detection, rapid response and recovery from animal disease outbreaks, including highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The Senate’s proposal mirrors the House bill, which recommends permanently funding scholarships at 1,890 institutions and maintaining commitments to 1,994 Tribal colleges and minority institutions.

The bill would ensure the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program reflects the realities of how Americans buy and prepare food by continuing the five-year reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan and keep kids fed by building on significant investments to end childhood hunger through appropriations bills.

Such appropriation bills include the American Rescue Plan, Access to Baby Formula Act, Keep Kids Fed Act, Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Stabenow’s proposal strengthens the farm and ranch stress assistance network, supporting farmers’ mental health and managing stress as they navigate one of the riskiest businesses in the world.

The RPFS Act builds on the historic progress made for rural communities, families and farmers in addressing the climate crisis through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan and others.

Comments

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says the organization is pleased with the House Ag Committee’s version of the 2024 Farm Bill, stating Thompson’s summary focuses on voluntary conservation programs, animal health provisions and investments in food security which support broader national security.  

Lane notes, “The Senate Ag Committee’s framework released by Stabenow lacks producer input and includes many provisions which could be harmful to livestock producers.”

Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) says the release of the majority’s framework was a welcome development, and he remains optimistic real progress on the farm bill can still happen in this Congress.  

Boozman says Republicans will continue to solicit input from stakeholders as they consider ideas in Stabenow’s bill.

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall commented on the release of the overview of the 2024 Farm Bill, stating, “AFBF appreciates the House and Senate Agriculture committees’ progress to enact a new, modernized farm bill this year.”

He continues, “We’re encouraged to see both proposals acknowledge programs farmers and ranchers across the country require for additional investment in the face of falling commodity prices and increased inflation. And, both proposals recognize the important role farmers and ranchers play in protecting our land, water and air through voluntary, working lands conservation programs.”

Conclusion

The House Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry’s framework for the 2024 Farm Bill emphasizes enhancements to the farmer safety net and reallocates IRA conservation funds to the conservation title of the farm bill.

It also includes updates to the nutrition title programs, increases funding for export promotion and seeks to limit states’ ability to impose conditions or standards on animal agriculture production. 

However, the Senate’s approach emphasizes improvements to the farmer safety net and maintains the 2018 Farm Bill’s approach to nutritional assistance. 

The Senate’s farm bill includes introducing a specialty crop insurance subtitle, supporting domestic biofuels and biobased product manufacturing. 

However, the House farm bill proposal clarifies state and local governments cannot impose, directly or indirectly, as a condition for sale or consumption, a condition or standard on the production of covered livestock unless the livestock is physically located within such state or local government, which takes aim at Proposition 12.

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.