The new Congress is barely a month old. Some lawmakers are already looking ahead to the 2023 Farm Bill, with questions on how it will all come together.
There has been a shift in power with Democrats holding a slim majority in both chambers. That means there is a shift in interest.
Lobbyist Michael Torrey expects agriculture to be under a microscope during Farm Bill negotiations, due to budget concerns, COVID-19, and what he calls “the balance of social economic policy”.
According to Torrey, “Obviously, Ag Committee is normally focused on commodity programs and hunger programs, but the number of members of Congress have joined the committee from urban areas because of hunger and feeding programs specifically. So, there is going to be a little bit of conflict.”
Both the Senate and House Ag Committees have new leadership, but the chairs in both chambers have previous Farm Bill experience.
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