With the authorization phase of the Farm Bill concluded, attention has turned this year to implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill. During this phase, Congress continues to oversee and fund implementation, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is tasked with implementing the programs and policies authorized under the new farm bill. Congressional oversight is […]
farm bill hearings
Congressional Hearings Kick Off Farm Bill Implementation Phase
This week, Congress started a new chapter in the 2018 Farm Bill process: oversight of the Department’s implementation efforts. The passage and signing of the new farm bill at the end of last year marked the conclusion of the bill’s “authorization phase,” and now that the fiscal year (FY) 2019 appropriations bill is finally in […]
Senate Agriculture Committee Examines Conservation Options for Next Farm Bill
On-farm, voluntary conservation programs – such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – provide farmers with the tools, technical assistance, and financial support they need to make their operations more sustainable and resilient. The farm bill, our nation’s largest and most significant package of food and farm funding legislation, […]
Farm Advocate Testifies on Importance of USDA Financing for Farmers
In the run up to the 2018 Farm Bill debate, the House Agriculture Committee has been holding regular hearings to examine key agricultural and food issues. This week, the Committee’s Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee held a hearing focused on the farm credit programs. The backdrop for the hearing was was the depressed farm economy […]
Congressional Hearings Kick Off Farm Bill and Appropriations Season
In recent weeks, the debate around the next farm bill – which will be up for reauthorization next year – has begun to gain momentum. The Senate Agriculture Committee held its first field hearing last week in Kansas and yesterday the House Agriculture Committee held its first subcommittee hearing focused on the farm bill, choosing […]