Prospects for a five-year farm bill have likely darkened with Republicans’ sweeping victories on Election Day.
That’s the view emerging from lawmakers and policy groups as Congress returns for a lame-duck session to finish the year’s legislative business.
The consensus is that Congress will pass an extension long enough to kick the farm bill deep into next year, while looking to add disaster assistance and possibly help for farmers who’ve suffered from high costs and low commodity prices.
Advertisement
“We’d like to avoid that,” said Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, who noted he’d still prefer to finish a five-year bill now.
