House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and House Ag Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Chair Austin Scott (R-Ga.) expressed optimism for a deal to raise the nation’s debt limit and shift focus to passing a new farm bill this year. Thompson emphasized that high inflation, rising input costs, and market volatility could hurt farmers and ranchers if a new bill isn’t passed.
They both voiced the necessity to resolve the debt limit increase issue by the U.S. Treasury’s June 1 deadline, allowing Congress to attend to other pressing matters such as the Farm Bill.
Thompson commented on the increased number of individuals on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), attributing it to high costs of food and gas. He supported the SNAP provisions in the House-GOP-passed debt ceiling bill, especially the imposition of work requirements on able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) up to the age of 55. He mentioned that he has faith in House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) to come up with a budget.
Scott called for a more extensive debate on SNAP, particularly about certain restrictions on its benefits.
Both Scott and Thompson criticized the idea of excluding larger farms from farm bill programs, pointing out that these farms account for nearly 90% of U.S. ag production. They argued such moves would be counterproductive in terms of lowering food prices.
Scott emphasized the need to increase reference prices that trigger farm safety net program payments and improve marketing assistance loans’ terms. He also proposed the possible expansion of crop insurance to cover specialty crops. Thompson said his staff has been analyzing options for raising Price Loss Coverage reference prices but isn’t ready to discuss the results.
Both lawmakers concurred that incorporating aspects of disaster relief into programs like crop insurance could help reduce costs and increase utilization, though Thompson acknowledged that ad hoc assistance will always be needed. Thompson noted around 80% of spending on agriculture after the 2018 Farm Bill was ad hoc, and incorporating some aspects of disaster relief in programs like crop insurance would help boost utilization of the programs and ultimately reduce costs — given farmers pay a share of those premiums.
Thompson plans to conduct an “audit” to understand what farmers and ranchers want in the new farm bill. Additionally, he noted concern about the contamination of agricultural land by Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) and suggested that the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) could potentially be used to idle land due to PFAS contamination.