Farm Bill

The leaders of both congressional agriculture committees say federal lawmakers will move back farm bill negotiations to December. The current law expires Saturday, but experts say there should be little peril despite the blown deadline.

Federally subsidized crop insurance made record-high payouts last year. While climate change is making farming more risky, the federal program often shields producers at taxpayer expense. Some argue it’s time that the fast-growing program encourages farmers to mitigate their risks.

The consensus of agricultural economists is that crop prices, especially for corn, soybeans and cotton, will go down this year. The cost of farming is also expected to go down but not as much.

The farm bill sets crucial policy for food assistance, crop insurance and more, and it’s set to expire Sept. 30. Congress is unlikely to meet that deadline, but they still need to decide how much money to spend on the bill.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a flashpoint in Congress yet again as members work to renew the farm bill. And the debate comes in the midst of rising food insecurity across the U.S.

Every five years, Congress has to renew the farm bill — a gigantic piece of legislation that supports and protects food production, natural resources and provides food benefits to low-income families.

A new study shows a threefold increase in Midwest farm acres using the offseason crops to help protect the soil and reduce runoff, but it still makes up less than 8% of all farmland.

The Farm Bill, which sets important policy on matters such as crop insurance and SNAP benefits, is up for renewal next year. The results of the midterm elections may not shed much light on how that legislation will end up.

Updated at 3 p.m. Dec. 20 with Trump signing legislation — The long-awaited final version of the farm bill was unveiled Monday night, and it hews...

While much of the farm bill draft mirrors current law, there is a major change coming for farmers: Industrial hemp will be legalized. Forestry and food stamps became sticking points.