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“The farm bill is vitally important,” Illinois U.S. Rep. Darin
LaHood, R-Peoria, told The Center Square. “We have to
reauthorize it. It has to be done by the end of September. I
don’t think we’ll meet that deadline so we’ll need a short
extension. But I remain optimistic, by the end of the year we’ll
reauthorize it.”
Illinois U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, said farm
bill “delays would create incredible uncertainty for family
farmers and rural communities throughout the Heartland.”
“The Farm Bill is one of the most important bills Congress is
tasked with passing this year, but the noise and nonsense in
Washington is distracting too many from getting this important
work done,” she said.
Budzinski released a Farm Bill 101 webpage where she lays out
some of the priorities she’s gathered from farming constituents.
Among those are protecting crop insurance, investing in
research, rural development, enhancing conservation programs and
more.
LaHood laid out other measures farmers are looking for.
“Whether it’s crop insurance, whether it’s conservation
measures, whether it’s regulatory measures, whether its help on
the RFS or the Renewable Fuel Standards and many other things,
[Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] and food nutrition
programs in there,” LaHood said of the large list of priorities.
But LaHood was confident Congress will get the job done.
“I feel good about getting this done by the end of the year but
it is imperative that we don’t let it slip,” LaHood said.
Budzinski’s office said both sides of the aisle need to focus on
approving a bipartisan deal.
“One that ensures families can put food on the table, guarantees
safety nets that family farmers depend on, invests in research
and development and provides desperately needed resources to
rural communities,” Budzkinski’s website said.
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