Grassley Says Lame Duck Farm Bill Unlikely

Cindy Zimmerman

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) believes getting a farm bill through during the lame duck session of Congress is unlikely.

“I haven’t heard of any movement during the month of October,” Grassley told reporters during a weekly call on Tuesday. “We have two weeks before Thanksgiving, we have three weeks before Christmas, and the way Schumer runs the Senate that’s only two and a half days a week so I don’t see how you can get it done.”

Grassley says there are some bills that have to get done before the end of the year but, “I don’t hear much about agriculture.” However, he does expect to see a one year extension of the current 2018 Farm Bill.

As far as next year’s deliberations on a farm bill, Grassley said there will definitely be pressure to cut spending until a Trump administration. If Republicans control both the House and Senate as well, he thinks it will be easier to get a farm bill but the Democrats will still fight against any food stamp reductions.

Grassley press call 18:45

Audio, Farm Bill, Farm Policy