The current farm bill expires September 30. If new legislation is not enacted, there is the option for a one-year extension of the current bill. However, with an extension, National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson sees two main concerns. The first is orphan programs, which would disappear.
“This includes a number of the conservation programs, energy title programs, some of the trade programs and most of the rural development programs. The only way they can continue is for the committee to take money from someplace else in the farm bill. That’s unlikely to happen.”
Johnson adds the other concern lies within the ARC/PLC programs. In the current farm bill, most farmers chose to enroll in ARC because it made larger payments. In today’s farm economy, most farmers would choose PLC. “With an extension, farmers will not be given a choice between ARC or PLC, most likely.
