At its annual meeting in Salt Lake City this week, the American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on Congress to pass a new farm bill, fast. 

The current bill, which funds everything from crop insurance to nutrition programs, was set to expire back in September. Congress gave itself a yearlong extension to negotiate an update. 

Programs will stay funded based on formulas set in the last bill. But stakeholders looking for big changes aren’t happy with the delay. 

The farm bill is supposed to be renewed every five years. But the current one was passed a few months after deadline, and the one before that — the 2014 bill — came two years late. 

So, does this thing ever show up on time? 

“Good question,” said Daniel Sumner with a chuckle. “You know, occasionally.”

Sumner, an agricultural economist at UC Davis, says right now is an especially tough time to negotiate this massive spending package. Congress has been tied up just trying to fund the government.

“So if you’ve got your wrinkle that you’d like to see changed, then it’s disappointing to see it not go forward,” he said.

Like funding for rural childcare or mental health care access — just a few issues likely to get attention in the next bill. 

“We’re hoping, you know, and it seems like this farm bill is going to be a climate bill,” said Anne Schechinger with the Environmental Working Group, who added that the next bill is slated to incentivize more sustainable farming practices. 

“Right now agriculture makes up more than 11% of America’s greenhouse gas emissions. So it’s really important to lower this,” she said.

Schechinger says those goals are urgent, but if Congress doesn’t negotiate a new bill in the next few months, we could be looking at 2025. 

“A presidential election year is hardly ever an optimal time to think you’re going to pass major legislation,” said Sumner. 

And if negotiations are delayed until after the 2024 election, that could have a big impact on how much funding is allocated to climate and conservation.