The wait for farmers, low-income Americans, and many others in the ag industry for a new Farm Bill will likely continue for another year. The five-year Farm Bill is a massive piece of legislation that sets the nation’s agricultural, food, and rural development policy, typically in five-year increments. The current Farm Bill expired in 2023, but Congress extended it for another year. According to U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, another one-year extension is likely. He says that is the first time he can remember that there have been multiple one-year extensions while in office.
Since the turn of the millennium, two other Farm Bills have been extended. The 2002 Farm Bill was extended six separate times, but the combined time before a new bill was passed was less than a year in total. The 2008 Farm Bill was extended for one year to include the 2013 crop and fiscal years. The 2014 Farm Bill was allowed to expire before its replacement passed, but many of its programs were funded through additional appropriations. Grassley says he wants to see a new Farm Bill approved, but he is not surprised by these delays.
Iowa 4th District Representative Randy Feenstra had previously indicated it is unlikely Congress will take action on the new Farm Bill until after the elections, but it is not clear if there is enough pressure in Washington, D.C., to get to work on a replacement until the new administration has taken over. The House Agriculture Committee approved the Farm Bill renewal in May 2024, but the Senate has yet to take action to begin negotiations between the chambers for it to advance. Grassley made his comments during his weekly Capitol Hill Report with Iowa reporters.
