Post by Patrick A.

Washington, DC - September 16, 2025: Capital Hill Update: Farm Bill Outlook: Key Issues on the Table-Congress remains deeply engaged in discussions over the next farm bill. Following the introduction of a Republican framework with $60 billion in farm-focused investments, lawmakers are signaling a willingness to move forward with a “skinny” five-year farm bill that covers crucial policies for agriculture, nutrition, energy, and rural development. House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) has stated his intention to mark up and advance a farm bill this month, though timing remains uncertain. Several contentious issues are slowing progress, including: A potential fix to state-level animal rights laws, such as California’s Proposition 12. How to address the hemp regulatory loophole created by the 2018 farm bill. Disagreements over pesticide use and liability language. Behind the scenes, staffers acknowledge they are “a little bit behind” on drafting. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) must also score the bill, a step that has delayed farm bill negotiations in the past. In the Senate, hemp policy has created differences of opinion about how best to move forward. Meanwhile, House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) has circulated a letter urging Speaker Mike Johnson to oppose the hemp language, illustrating the internal challenges. With deadlines looming, lawmakers may resort to a stopgap measure, potentially delaying a full vote on agriculture funding and hemp provisions. Stay tuned for further updates as we near the end of year budget and push for appropriations and debt ceiling negotiations that policy is placed into at the last minute.