Washington, DC — Blaming partisan politics and a packed legislative calendar, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s no longer optimistic a Farm Bill will pass Congress this session.
The legislation is typically reviewed and renewed every five years, but it had to be extended last year into this fall, and Grassley fears another repeat is looming.
Grassley, a Republican, suggests the Farm Bill won’t pass this year because of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Democrat who’s created the framework for this session.
Grassley says there needs to be “more farm in the Farm Bill,” noting that 85 percent of the USDA’s spending outline is for food stamps. He says farmers in Iowa and nationwide will have a difficult 2025 if Congress -again- fails to update the important legislation.
He says the Farm Bill being drafted by Senate Republicans includes a 15-percent increase in commodities supports, stronger crop insurance, a doubling of funds for foreign market assistance — or exports, along with a healthy boost in spending on ag research.
