President and CEO
USA Rice
The 2018 Farm Bill’s one-year extension officially expired on Sept. 30, 2024, leaving us in a precarious situation where critical support programs for rice farmers are again becoming at risk. Since then, Congressional staff and lawmakers have engaged in protracted negotiations, but are almost paralyzed until the fate of the General Election, as they are keenly aware that changes to the House and Senate majorities are likely and a new White House administration is guaranteed. But nothing motivates Congress more than political leverage and deadlines, and now the race is on for an extension or a reauthorization before this 118th Congress comes to a close on Jan. 3rd, 2025.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. If a new, comprehensive Farm Bill isn’t passed soon, many rice farmers will face a grim reality: without a Farm Bill, uncertainty will remain in rice country, as current farm safety net programs are inadequate without vital improvements to the Price Loss Coverage Program—namely an increase to the rice reference price. Not only will farms and the broader rice industry suffer, but also rural communities and the American consumer.
Food security is national security, and our rice farmers are essential to maintaining the U.S.’s position as a global leader in food production. When farmers don’t have access to viable safety nets and resources authorized and provided through the Farm Bill, we endanger not only our domestic food supply but also our standing in the global agricultural market. If our domestic farms falter, our country’s ability to feed itself—and the rest of the world—is at risk.
The expiration of the Farm Bill also has the potential to usher in an unsettling set of circumstances known as “permanent law,” which is rooted in antiquated agricultural policies from the 1930s and 40s. Congress has never ended this permanent law; instead, every Farm Bill suspends these permanent provisions and substitutes modern provisions. Without a Farm Bill, permanent law defaults to outdated price support mechanisms that fail to reflect the realities of today’s economy. While some programs remain operational under permanent law, the disconnect between these archaic measures and current market conditions would create chaos for farmers. The government may be forced to intervene in ways that could severely disrupt markets and drive up food prices. The onerous and expensive process of implementing permanent law helps add pressure for Congress to act, one way or another.
Another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill is merely a temporary stopgap measure, and it’s simply not good enough. Rice farmers, like all U.S. farmers, require a robust, forward-looking policy framework that provides certainty and a reliable safety net. Additionally, programs that promote U.S. agriculture products in export markets are also threatened. One can’t enter into contracts or undertake programs that would exceed authorized funding in the shortened extension time periods. So, many of those programs simply stop, and U.S. ag loses its domestic and global competitive edge.
All of this uncertainty is not just inconvenient; it threatens the livelihoods of countless farming families who rely on consistent, predictable legislation and their rural communities.
We’re now in the “lame duck” part of this Congress, and the threat of permanent law is looming just a few weeks away. We must urge our legislators to prioritize improvements to the farm safety net programs and help provide assistance for the 2024 crop year now. This delay affects every American. Food doesn’t magically appear on our tables; it comes from the hard work of farmers who are often at the mercy of unpredictable weather, volatile markets, and now, legislative gridlock.
At the end of the day, Congress may be able to kick the can down the road, but farmers don’t have that luxury. Planting and harvesting seasons come and go, regardless of what’s happening in Washington, D.C. The people we serve—our families, neighbors, and fellow citizens—can’t just hold off on eating until a bill is passed.
A strong Farm Bill is not merely a legislative necessity; it is a lifeline for our farmers and an investment in our nation’s security and resilience. It’s long past time for Congress to act swiftly and decisively. The future of U.S. agriculture depends on it.