U.S. agriculture chief says no plan to extend farm aid to offset tariffs

[BumRushDaShow]

5. I am surprised they announced that before the election

although the bribes might eventually end up being rolled into the FARM bill (that expired September 30th), IF that ever gets reconciled and passes.

Farm Bill still in negotiations between House and Senate

By John Lovett / Times Record / [e-mail]
Posted Oct 29, 2018 at 12:01 AM Updated at 1:31 PM

Almost a month after the deadline for approval, the 2018 Farm Bill remains in a holding pattern as congressional staffers work to find common ground on the two different versions presented by the U.S. House and Senate. According to two Senate Ag Committee aides and staffers for Farm Bill conferees U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., there is no one issue that is stalling the outcome for a final bill to be presented to President Donald Trump. “It’s high on the list of things to do in the lame-duck session,” Patrick Creamer, a spokesman for Boozman, said of the Farm Bill.

Meanwhile, farmers are being held up with planning next year’s crops, as well as applying for crop insurance and loans, Westerman said last week during a tour of the 4th District’s agricultural areas to talk with farmers.

Although there has been speculation the sticking point for common ground between the two different Farm Bills was a work requirement for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a Senate Ag Committee aide said Friday it’s not just one title that is holding up a marriage between the two Farm Bill versions. Commodities, conservation and forestry titles are also yet to be taken off the table for negotiation. “The sticky points tend to be less partisan and more regional,” Creamer explained.

A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Ag Committee, said meetings have been held between staffers on both sides of the aisle on a regular basis since August. Media speculation that the SNAP work requirement was holding things up are “not true,” the aide said. “The issues are broad and far-ranging,” she said. “For example, the House bill repealed WOTUS (Waters of the United States Act), and the Senate version didn’t ... We’ve made headway. We’re on the 20-yard line. I know the congressman is frustrated we’ve not been able to get this done by Sept. 30 and he’s committed to getting this done this year. Everything would have to be done over again.”

http://www.swtimes.com/news/20181029/farm-bill-still-in-negotiations-between-house-and-senate

If they don't pass this during the lame duck session, it will be automatically DOA and they would have to start all over - potentially with a Democratic House running the show.