Former Agriculture Secretary Johanns predicts the new Farm Bill likely won’t pass before the election

The former governor of Nebraska, who served as secretary of agriculture under President George W. Bush, is still making predictions. Mike Johanns doesn’t think the prospects for a new Farm Bill are good.

When Johanns appeared at the recent Indiana Ag Policy Summit, hosted by the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Growers Association, as Congress was heading into its summer recess, there wasn’t much time left on the clock.

“If you look at the number of days available, assuming they come back on September 9, you have about 15 days on the schedule,” Johanns said. “If I were to guess, because the White House is in power, the entire House is in power, a third of the Senate is in power, and it’s a matter of toss as to who will be in control – then you will not see 15 days.”

The deadline for a new Farm Bill is in September. The 2018 Farm Bill has already been extended for another year, so a new version is needed before the 2018 version expires.

Under the leadership of Chairman GT Thompson, the House Agriculture Committee successfully passed a bipartisan farm bill in May that modernizes risk management tools for farmers. However, the Senate has not taken up the issue since then and time is running out.

The American Farm Bureau recently brought together more than 500 groups representing various agricultural interests and beyond. They sent a joint message to House and Senate leaders with a letter calling on Congress to pass a farm bill this year.

Hundreds of agricultural groups, some with different priorities for farm laws, are working together to demonstrate the urgency and importance of passing a new bill before the legislation expires.

The current Farm Bill consists of twelve parts, also known as titles.

Title 1: Raw materials. The Commodities title includes price and income support for farmers who grow widely produced and traded non-perishable crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, dairy and sugar. It also includes agricultural disaster relief.

Title 2: Conservation. The Conservation title covers programs that help farmers implement natural resource conservation efforts on working areas such as rangeland and cropland, and land retirement and easement programs.

Title 3: Trade. The Trade title covers food export subsidy programs and international food aid programs.

Title 4: Nutrition. The title Nutrition refers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] (formerly known as food stamps) and a variety of smaller nutrition programs designed to help low-income Americans afford food for their families.

Title 5: Credit. This credit title covers federal loan programs designed to help farmers access the financial credit (through direct loans, loan guarantees, and other instruments) they need to grow and sustain their agricultural operations.

Title 6: Rural Development. The Rural Development title includes programs that help promote economic growth in rural areas through rural business and community development (including agricultural holdings), rural housing and infrastructure.

Title 7: Research, extension and related matters. The Research title includes agricultural and food research, education and extension programs designed to support innovation, from federal laboratories and state university-affiliated research to essential training for the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

Title 8: Forestry. The title Forestry refers to forest-specific conservation programs that help farmers and rural communities manage forest resources.

Title 9: Energy. The Energy title covers programs that encourage the growing and processing of crops for biofuels, help farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs install renewable energy systems, and support energy-related research.

Title 10: Horticulture. The horticultural designation covers farmers markets and local food programs, funding for research and infrastructure for fruits, vegetables and other horticultural crops, and organic farming and certification programs.

Title 11: Crop insurance. Title Crop Insurance provides premium subsidies to farmers and subsidies to private crop insurance companies that offer farmers federal crop insurance to protect against losses in yield, crop income, or whole-farm income. The designation also gives USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) the authority to investigate, develop and modify insurance policies.

Title 12: Miscellaneous. The title Miscellaneous is a bit of an all-encompassing story. It brings together six advocacy and outreach areas: novice, socially disadvantaged, experienced farmers and ranchers, agricultural occupational safety and workforce development, and livestock health.

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