Agriculture Policy

The farm bill (H.R. 2) failed to pass on the House floor today after facing strong resistance from Democrats and some moderate Republicans who opposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the bill as well as the conservative House Freedom Caucus intent on forcing action on a separate immigration and border security bill. The bill failed 198-213, with 183 Democrats and 30 Republicans voting against it. Throughout the farm bill process, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, faced unified opposition from Democrats who opposed stricter work ... Read More

Rep. Jackie Walorski, a Republican member of the Ways and Means Committee and the committee’s sole member from Indiana, has advocated for issues important to the NGFA, including expanding markets for U.S. agricultural products. This week, she answered several questions covering her goals in Congress, the Trump administration’s approach to trade negotiations and the reformed tax code. Walorski previously served on the House Armed Services, Budget and Veterans Affairs and Agriculture Committees, serving as the chair of the Agriculture Nutrition Subcommittee in the 114th Congress. She served ... Read More

By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Marketing The House Agriculture Committee approved its version of a new farm bill on a 26-20 party line vote on April 18, after hours of criticism from Democrats over the bill’s work-related reforms to the supplemental food-assistance program. Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, told reporters after the markup he is focused on getting the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R.2) passed on the House floor. “My job is to get a bill across the floor, not respond to individual attacks or insinuations,” he said. Democrats on the ... Read More

By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy The Week that Was: This week, the Senate focused on confirmation hearings and votes for more of President Trump’s nominees for administration positions. Meanwhile, on the heels of last month’s $1.3 trillion omnibus spending agreement, House Republicans considered a balanced budget amendment, which fell short of the two-thirds support necessary to pass. An even bigger development occurred on April 11, as House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced he would not seek re-election in November. Control of the House will be ... Read More

By Max Fisher, Director of Economics and Government Affairs; and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, on Thursday released his draft of the 2018 farm bill, which includes some major changes to conservation programs. Under the bill’s draft conservation section, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program would be combined and the ceiling for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) would be increased from the current 24 million acres to 29 million acres – increased ... Read More

By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media  House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, this week indicated he is determined to push ahead with committee consideration of his draft version of a new farm bill next month despite having no Democratic support from members of the committee. Conaway vowed to forge ahead with the farm bill during remarks at the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers convention. “There is no reason for us not to get this done by Sept. 30,” he said. “There’s no reason for extensions. There’s no reason for the drama ... Read More