Where are we on the current Farm Bill? Not soon.

The Farm Bill is behind schedule, no surprise.  The reasons have to do with costs and politics.

While Congressional agriculture committees are fussing over it, we have time to see what’s at stake.

I.  The Congressional Research Service thas a report—Expiration of the Farm Bill—on what will happen to existing programs if the bill is not passed or extended by September 30, when it expires.  Short summary: it depends on whether the program is permanently or temporarily funded.

II.  Agri-Pulse farm bill preview: Key issues and proposals for each title.  Blessings on Philip Brasher, Steve Davies, Jacqui Fatka, Noah Wicks, and Bill Tomson for putting together thie best summary I’ve seen of this bill. For each Farm Bill title, they briefly explain:

• What the title does
• What it costs
• What’s in play (the issues, and who is on which side of them)
• Notable marker bills (proposed amendments)

III.  Food-Fix’s summary of farm bill proposals: If you don’t subscribe to Helena Evich Bottemiller’s FoodFix newsletter, now is the time.  She writes about food politics in Washington, DC and keeps up with things most people (like me) can’t.  She recently summarized some of the more recent marker bills:

• • The Peas, Legumes, and Nuts Today Act (

  PLANT Act

  )
• • The

  Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act

• • The

  Tribal Access to Nutrition Assistance Act

  .
• • The

  Enhance Access to SNAP Act

  (EATS Act)
• • The other

  EATS ACT

  (Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act)
• • The

  Healthy SNAP Act

• • The

  Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Act
• • The

  Opt for Health with SNAP Act

  (OH SNAP) i
  • The

  GusNIP Expansion Act

I don’t have the kind of mind that can keep track of this level of detail, and depend on others to do the heavy lifting.

Many thanks to them.