The Senate earlier this week approved a number of appropriation bills, including the 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill, before heading off to a two-week long recess. The Senate voted 92-6 to pass a bill that funds the Agriculture Department and related agencies, and other federal agencies such as Transportation, Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. Senate leadership is hopeful to pass other funding bills later this fall, but President Trump has threatened a government shutdown when the fiscal year ends September 30th if Congress does not pass immigration enforcement, border security and border wall measures, according to the Hagstrom Report.
Of the provisions in the ag appropriations bill, Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota points out the bill continues funding his Agriculture Risk Coverage pilot program to allow for an alternate calculation method for crop payments when National Agricultural Statistics Service data is insufficient. The bill also increases funding for the Agricultural Marketing Service to help provide producers with marketing opportunities for U.S. agricultural products.
Source: NAFB News Service