Congress faces tight deadline to pass farm bill

Congress is facing a tight deadline to pass the farm bill, which expired in September 2023. The bill is expected to cost about $864 billion over five years and will include funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), crop insurance, and other agricultural programs.

U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said finding time to debate the farm bill on the House floor will be difficult. "A lot of things expire in September," he told Missourinet affiliate KDRO. "And when we get back, we're going to be concentrating on these appropriation bills."

Alford said the farm bill is crucial for farmers and ranchers in Missouri to be able to stay in business. Farmers need security to buy crop insurance and get loans for fertilizer, seed, and fuel, which have been rising at a horrible rate.

Alford blames the Biden administration's "demonization of the fossil fuel industry" for the rising cost of fertilizer and other agricultural inputs. Congress has until September 30 to pass the farm bill to the president's desk.