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Farm bill extension on the line

Senior lawmakers are racing to finalize a deal to extend the 2018 farm bill before key programs expire on December 31. Both parties agree on attaching a one-year extension to a year-end funding measure due by December 20, but negotiations remain tense over details and additional farm aid funding.

Democrats, led by Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and House Ag ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.), have proposed $5.31 billion for farmers facing economic losses, $1.04 billion for crop insurance, and $950 million for specialty crop producers. Their plan also incorporates $14 billion in climate-smart agriculture funding from the Inflation Reduction Act while maintaining climate-related conditions. It includes support for “orphan programs” at risk of losing funding and $15 million annually for urban agriculture.

Republicans, however, are pushing for significantly more farm aid and object to some conditions on the climate funding. With only a few legislative days left, lawmakers must bridge these differences to avoid disruption to farm programs.

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