The House of Representatives this week moved the 2018 Farm Bill through committee, with a yea vote from every Republican and a nay vote from every Democrat.
It appears that is the way it is going to be through the whole process, if there is going to be a bill. It does not have the best outlook.
Meanwhile, there may be some bipartisan agreement on re-entering the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
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The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) states: the vote to advance the 2018 Farm Bill, out of the House Agriculture Committee, falls in line with similar votes on agriculture legislation. AFBF vice president of public affairs Dale Moore says votes have historically been partisan on the farm bill and other agriculture issues at the committee level.
“You can go back to the ’95/’96 Farm Bill process and’94 USDA reorganization process. Different steps and different issues along the way, and regardless of who’s in the majority, you see a great party line vote with legislation coming out of the committee. The bottom-line is, given some of the issues around the nutrition title, I don’t think it’s unexpected,” Moore said.
Moore says the farm bill is a top priority in the the United States House this year. He expresses optimism of Congress coming together to pass the legislation.
President Donald Trump recently ordered staff members to look at the possibility of rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. The move gave agriculture a ray of hope in what has been a difficult time on the trade front. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) said this is good news.
