WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas farmers remain in limbo as lawmakers have yet to pass a replacement Farm Bill. Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on a farm bill. An updated bill was proposed on the Senate floor Monday, but both sides of the aisle remain at a stalemate.
According to KSN Agricultural Expert John Jenkinson, the longer we go with no replacement, the more farmers and consumers could feel its absence.
“Some of the main hang-ups that are holding up the farm bill right now is the fact that Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on what needs to be cut,” he said.
Republicans argue that the bill is bloated and spends too much money since it includes more than 100 smaller bills. Democrats argue that certain policies, like expanded food stamp benefits and conservation spending, are too important to cut.
“Many of the farmers and their farm groups the groups that represent them across the United States are not just disappointed, but I would use the word, ‘livid,'” Jenkinson said.
Not immediately visible solutions make it difficult for farmers to plan for their futures.
“We really don’t have any direction right now,” he said. “It wouldn’t just be detrimental to the farmers and ranchers but the consumers as well.”
No farm bill means farmers don’t get subsidies on things like crop insurance, so crops often cost more than they’re worth to sell. This could, in turn, cause prices to rise. But Jenkinson does not believe it will come to that.
“I’m fully convinced there will be a farm bill. It’s just that it’s unfortunate that we have to sit in limbo at this point until we get some kind of direction,” he said.
Government stopgap spending runs out Dec. 20, which Jenkinson says could impact groups like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and keep farmers in their current directionless state.