Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it’s important to create a new five-year farm bill with updated programs. Congress was supposed to pass a new agriculture bill in 2023, but instead, they only extended the current one-year bill. Last week, they extended the 2018 bill agai
Last week, Congress passed a new budget bill, but it wasn’t a long-term solution, which left many people in the farming and agriculture industry disappointed.
I’m Katrina Markel, a reporter from Southwest Iowa.
For many, a new farm bill is a top priority for 2025.
Senator Chuck Grassley emphasized, It’s absolutely necessary because we didn’t get a five-year farm bill last year or this year. It should have happened last year.
Instead, Congress has been extending the 2018 bill, which covers everything from farm loans and conservation programs to food assistance like SNAP.
Grassley pointed out that the current bill is outdated and needs changes to account for inflation, which has gone up 20%.
An earlier version of the budget bill included a plan to allow year-round sales of E15, a type of fuel with more ethanol. However, this part was removed after objections from President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters. Kenneth Hartman Jr., President of the National Corn Growers Association, expressed disappointment that this provision didn’t pass.