56 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN January 2024 FARM BILL POLICY UPDATE FROM WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATTLEMEN’S BEEF ASSOCIATION STAFF Farm Bill Extended On Sept. 30, 2023, the 2018 Farm Bill expired. While most programs had full funding through the end of year, some programs – including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – needed this Farm Bill extension to continue to operate fully for producers. Cattle producers utilize both programs on their operations and need Farm Bill programs running at full capacity to assist in their voluntary conservation efforts, risk management and disaster relief. In November, Congress passed a staggered continuing resolution that funds half of the government until Jan. 19, 2024, and funds the other half until Feb. 2, 2024. Included in this funding package was a one-year extension of the Farm Bill through Sept. 30, 2024. This was welcome news to farmers and ranchers, delivering much needed certainty that Farm Bill programs will be available to cattle producers as Congress continues to work on passage of a long-term Farm Bill, which we hope will include National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) priorities. The Farm Bill extension means that programs like CRP and EQIP are back at full function. Other vital programs that also will continue without a pause include Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP). With much of the country facing drought or extreme drought conditions, including large portions of eastern Nebraska, having LFP fully funded is essential to provide timely relief to producers experiencing substantial grazing losses. NCBA recommends producers check in with their Farm Service Agency county office if they have questions or are experiencing any issues with any of these programs. For those who have been following Farm Bill debates over the last decade, this extension will not come as a big surprise. There are always heated debates and numerous delays over passage of the Farm Bill for a variety of reasons. The 2012 Farm Bill failed to pass and had to be extended for more than a year before eventually being signed into law in early 2014, two years after the original deadline. The 2018 Farm Bill was also delayed after failing to pass in the House the first time it was brought up in the spring of 2018 and was then passed by a lame duck Congress after a contentious midterm election season. Congress will always find a way to get a Farm Bill passed. The bigger question is what will be in the final bill? While the funding date CONTINUED ON PAGE 58 With the Farm Bill extended for one year, the most immediate concern of Congress is funding the government at the start of 2024.
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