Major U.S. farm groups have made a significant stance, indicating their intention to try and torpedo a short-term government funding bill in Congress this week. This move comes with a crucial demand - the inclusion of a multibillion-dollar bailout for agriculture. Negotiations over the weekend fell apart regarding the inclusion of so-called economic aid in the only must-pass bill before the scheduled adjournment on Friday.

Call for Congressional Action

President Zippy Duvall of the American Farm Bureau Federation has called on members of Congress representing agriculture to stand with farmers. He insists that the supplemental spending bill must include economic aid for farmers and has urged them to vote it down if it doesn't meet this requirement. Groups representing soybean, wheat, cotton, rice, and sorghum growers also oppose a spending bill that fails to address the issues of lower commodity prices and rising costs in farm country.

Others, like the National Farmers Union and National Corn Growers Association, believe that lawmakers should continue to work towards a solution. NFU president Rod Larew stated that time is running out to secure a deal before the end of the year and that lawmakers cannot walk away from their responsibility to rural America.

Congressional Leadership and Timing

Congressional leaders could potentially unveil the content of the government funding bill as early as Monday, with the House and Senate set to vote shortly thereafter. Currently, the so-called continuing resolution is expected to include another one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill, which expired in September 2023.

Farm groups hold a certain amount of leverage due to the closely divided control of Congress. A small number of lawmakers could act as a roadblock for legislation. Republicans and Democrats have been blaming each other for the impasse, with each side rejecting the other's proposal. Democrats proposed $10 billion in economic assistance, which would be offset by shifting some $13 billion in climate funds into USDA conservation programs while maintaining "guardrails" on spending. Republicans proposed $12 billion in economic aid with few public details on its structure.

Debate and Criticism

House Agriculture chairman Glenn Thompson and Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, senior Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee, have criticized congressional Democrats, stating that they have not learned the lesson of the most recent election and continue to neglect the needs of rural America. Their 11th-hour offer fell short of what farmers need, short-changed critical farm bill programs, and stole from needed assistance to address recent natural disasters.

Senate Agriculture chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and Georgia Rep. David Scott, senior Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee, countered by saying that they can and do provide both economic and disaster assistance and that it is a mistake to pit one against the other.