Republicans representing rural districts say they are confident that a Farm Bill will be passed within the first couple months of the year. So, why is the GOP so confident they will replace the 2018 Farm Bill well ahead of the September deadline? Representative Dan Newhouse says in the previous Congress it was House Republicans that were able to clear a Farm Bill.
“Even though I felt we produced a very strong Farm Bill in the House, we were just we’re not able to get the buy in from the majority Democrats [in the Senate] on even coming to the table and ironing out the differences. And I really can’t explain why.”
Newhouse says now with the republican in charge in the Senate, under the leadership of Arkansas’s John Boozman, he much more confident both Chambers can come together to get something passed to benefit the Ag community.
“I’ve talked to GT Thompson, our Committee chair, and he says he doesn’t want to wait that long [the September deadline], he wants to get it done early in the year. President-elect Trump had strong support from farmers across the country and I think the agricultural industry is one of his priorities. And so, there just a lot of things point to us being able to get this across the finish line soon.”
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