News
Gov’t funding deadline close, farm bill extension might be too
The deadline for Congress to fund the U.S. government is one week away and the CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers says there hasn’t been much progress.
Chandler Goule says many appropriations bills House lawmakers are considering are a non-starter in the Senate.
“I worry this will go down to the last minute, like it did last time, to November 16 or 17.”
Goule says it’s unclear what will happen, but an extension of the current farm bill could be included in a temporary government funding solution. He says agriculture committee leadership is trying to decide how long of a farm bill extension is needed.
“Do we need a one-year extension? That’s what the Senate wants, but the House and Chairman Thompson says they know they need an extension, but don’t want to put a timeframe around it,” he says. “I’m predicting somewhere between March and May we might need the next farm bill, but any government shutdown will push that date further and further back.”
He says the sooner Congress can find a longer-term solution for government funding, the better chances lawmakers have to get the new farm bill completed in early 2024.
