Progress Report Farm Bill

The House Agriculture Committee is drafting the next farm bill and could bring the bill for consideration by the full House of Representatives yet this year.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway commented recently on the timeframe of getting the 2018 Farm Bill through the House and Senate.

Conaway says the Committee and staff are putting "pencil to paper now" on drafting the next farm bill, including the nutrition title.

"Will have that done we think over the next several weeks and then my conversation with the leader if I can show him a path forward to 218 votes that he said he'll put us on the floor sometime in November or December or January kind of timeframe."

He says the Senate is considering a similar timeframe

"I know Pat Roberts is just talking about doing the same time frame but I think we're further along, but as soon as we can show where we got that vote the leader will put us on the floor and then go back out from that buy a serval days to run it through committee than before we move forward."

The House Agriculture Committee held a farm bill listening session. It was was one of many across the U.S. to gain input from farmers and ranchers on the next farm bill.

Some farmers have called for more funding and regulation of a number of programs, including crop insurance. National Young Farmers have spoken out about barriers to entry in farming, including the high price and limited availability of land, and student debt.