The chairs and ranking members of the agriculture committees in both chambers of Congress remained silent on farm bill progress. The Hagstrom Report says that didn’t stop legislators and lobbyists from discussing the topic in public. Soon-to-be House Ag Chair Collin Peterson says if Congress doesn’t pass the farm bill during the upcoming lame-duck session, he’ll bring it up in January. Peterson says current House Ag Chair Michael Conaway dropped a controversial food stamp provision last week. “I want the ag committee organized as soon as possible so I can take the bill that we have now, pass it in the House, and send it over (to the Senate),” he says. “Even if (Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Debbie) Stabenow doesn’t get everything she wants, let her vote against it if that’s what she wants to do.” Peterson thinks that the nutrition title, one of the biggest sticking points in the conference debate, has finally been worked out. Chuck Grassley of Iowa says the farm bill might be added to the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill that Congress has to pass by December 7th. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told reporters that they want the new farm bill to give them needed management reforms.
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