Congress Urged to Pass Farm Aid in Funding Bill

The U.S. Congress is under pressure to pass a continuing resolution and a farm bill extension to prevent a government shutdown and provide critical financial aid to struggling farmers. Farmers in states like Alabama and Mississippi, represented by Agriculture Commissioners Rick Pate and Andy Gipson, are facing unprecedented economic challenges due to high inflation, rising input costs, and declining commodity prices. There is a risk of losing roughly $10 billion in farming subsidies in the upcoming farm bill extension, heightening calls from the American Farm Bureau Federation to protect these funds. The situation is particularly dire for Black farmers, who have historically been excluded from federal assistance. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other lawmakers are working against a tight deadline to ensure the passage of necessary funding, with bipartisan support deemed essential.