Idaho Gov. Brad Little, along with governors from 16 other states, signed a joint letter Monday urging Congress to reauthorize the farm bill and to provide “immediate financial assistance” to the agricultural sector.
The Idaho Capital Sun reports the farm bill was last authorized in 2018, and after failing to reauthorize it on the typical five-year schedule in 2023, Congress extended the 2018 bill through 2024.
Congress failed again in the 2024 regular session to pass a new farm bill, which allocates funding for agricultural and food programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Now U.S. lawmakers are weighing the option to pass another extension of the bill, or rush to finish a new version, before final provisions of the extension expire at the end of the year and new members are sworn in on Jan. 3.
The group of GOP governors is asking Congress to pass a new version of the massive bill.
Republican lawmakers have been unsupportive of the bill.
