Farm bill deadline approaches as lawmakers list priorities

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The deadline for this year’s farm bill is fast approaching and Democrats and Republicans in the House say certain aspects are top priorities that need to be included.

“The farm bill is critically important, not only to food but to national security,” said Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.).

Molinaro wants to ensure more milk production and help local farmers access foreign markets.

“Make sure that we can move product from upstate New York to families and markets across the globe, ensuring dairy has the support they deserve, opening job opportunities up in agriculture,” Molinaro said.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) said crop insurance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits need improvement.

“Making SNAP benefits applicable to fresh local produce and including dairy and cheese, which I would support,” Auchincloss said.

“There’s a number of issues here,” said Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Penn.).

Meuser has his own list of goals.

“Rural broadband, very important,” Meuser said. “We gotta pull back some of these regulations. We need dairy to be allowed to be sold — whole milk in schools. We need workforce development.”

The current farm bill expires at the end of the month, which means lawmakers only have a short time to get something passed.

“We’ll still fund it but we won’t get to the final piece that we need to get to,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Penn.).

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) blames Republicans for holding up the process.

“The extreme MAGA Republicans want to hijack the farm bill,” Jeffries said.