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2018 farm bill just over the horizon

[/title][fusion_text]Tuesday, April 26th 2016

The 2018 farm bill is just over the horizon – field hearings could start next winter, maybe earlier if commodity prices are frozen at low levels – and the farm bill coalition is linking its arms in readiness. In an exercise that doubled as a warm-up for the new farm bill, the informal alliance united to protect USDA programs from budget cuts this spring, even in programs outside its usual area of interest. As a result, the American Soybean Association (ASA) defended the food stamp program against a proposed 20% cut in funding. In an outburst of enthusiasm for spending cuts, the House defeated the farm bill in 2013. It was the first time a farm bill failed on a floor vote. Budget hawks saw the chance to split the bill in two and whittle down the pieces. In the end, it was a temporary setback, but the memory remains vivid among the farm bill coalition, which crosses the spectrum of interests from farmers, outdoors enthusiasts, conservationists, environmentalists, and exporters to antihunger activists and rural lenders. Continued pressure for budget austerity could make the 2018 farm bill a target for deep cuts.

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