- USDA to provide $1 billion to flood and wildfire-impacted livestock producers (USDA Press Release): Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced eligible livestock producers will receive disaster recovery assistance through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire (ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW) to help offset increased supplemental feed costs due to a qualifying flood or qualifying wildfire in calendar years 2023 and 2024. The program is expected to provide approximately $1 billion in recovery benefits. Sign-up begins on Monday, September 15. Livestock producers have until October 31, 2025, to apply for assistance.
Farm groups press Congress to act on Farm Bill reauthorization (Agri-Pulse): More than 260 farm organizations and Farm Credit institutions urged congressional leaders to quickly pass a new Farm Bill, warning that July’s budget reconciliation package cannot replace the full legislation. In their letter, the groups emphasized that all Farm Bill titles are critical for the strength of U.S. agriculture and rural communities and asked lawmakers to prioritize floor time for debate and passage.
Key unresolved issues include reauthorizing the Conservation Reserve Program, updating loan limits for USDA credit programs, continuing rural broadband expansion, and ensuring that permanent price-support laws take effect if commodity programs expire after 2031.
House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) also wants the bill to cover hemp, pesticide litigation, and California’s Proposition 12 rules. However, partisan divides may complicate progress. Thompson has said as much as $8 billion will be needed to move the Farm Bill forward.