Progress and Potential Hurdles for the 2018 Farm Bill

The odds for a farm bill in 2018 have improved considerably. On Wednesday the Senate Ag Committee moved its version of a farm bill with a strong bipartisan vote (20 to 1). House leadership is attempting to resolve the immigration issue that contributed to the House Ag Committee's farm bill defeat on the floor. This may pave the way for a House vote reconsidering the farm bill, but success remains uncertain. Among the issues that could present hurdles to completing a farm bill, one has gained particular attention thanks to a recent public dispute that was punctuated by Senator Grassley's (R-IA) lone vote against the farm bill in the Senate Ag Committee: eligibility requirements for, and limits on, farm program payments. This seemingly esoteric issue is traditionally one of the toughest to sort out in a farm bill debate. It tends to have particular resonance on the House and Senate floors where perspectives outside of the agricultural sector weigh heaviest. It is often one of the final matters resolved in conference. As the farm bill moves to the Senate floor and the House possibly moves to reconsider its version, this article reviews this particular issue further with some historical background, the specific changes proposed and some political context.