The House Agriculture Committee (Committee) concluded a contentious markup of the 2018 Farm Bill on Wednesday.  The bill secured passage in the Committee on a party-line vote.  Democrats criticized Chairman Mike Conaway (R-Texas) for an alleged lack of transparency throughout the drafting process.  Minority members on the committee found Conaway’s tactics a betrayal of the partisan spirit that the Agriculture Committee is known for.  Before the bill was passed, the Committee approved 18 proposals by a bloc amendment.  

Ranking Member Colin Peterson (D-Minnesota) and other Democrats on the Committee did not submit any amendments during the markup because the Republicans’ proposed changes to the Farm Bill’s Nutrition and Food Security Title are a nonstarter.  In his opening remarks, Peterson accused Conaway of driving the bill’s food stamp provisions over an “ideological cliff” that prevents Democrats from approaching the negotiating table. Democrats specifically targeted the bill’s tougher work eligibility requirements, elimination of the Broad Base Categorical Eligibility, and nutriton benefit reductions over 10 years.  The partisan rhetoric within the markup severly curtails Conaway’s ability to gain support from Democrats on the House floor where the Chairman is struggling to find enough votes for final passage.

Republicans were criticized for proposing reductions to the Rural Development Title of the bill and for eliminating mandatory funding for rural development programs.  In addition, Representative Tom O’Halleran (D-Arizona) expressed disappointment in these cuts as well as the forest management proposals included in the Forestry Title.

Among the bill’s controversial provisions were changes and reductions to the Conservation Title.  Republicans were criticized for a proposal that would fold the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) into the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  CSP is the largest conservation program in the country with over 72 million acres enrolled, and critics argue that folding it into EQIP will undermine the federal government’s stewardship mission on these lands. 

Despite his opposition to the proposed 2018 Farm Bill (known as HR 2) as a whole, Representative Jim Costa (D-Fresno) celebrated the bill’s funding for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.  Representative Costa argued this program benefits California producers and encourages public/private cooperation in his district.

Later in the markup, Representative Costa called for increased trade protection funding for U.S. producers. Costa argued agriculture production in his district is vulnerable to the looming trade war with the People's Republic of China, where Costa’s district exports billions of dollars of agriculture products.  Costa urged the Committee to increase funding for agriculture export programs including the Market Access Program and Foreign Markets Development Program to help producers adjust to China’s tariffs.

Included in the adopted bloc amendment were multiple proposals to promote broadband deployment in rural areas. Representative Vicky Hartzler’s (R-Missouri) proposal ensures all rural broadband programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will use the 25/3 mbs minimum broadband standard.  This standard was established by the Federal Communications Commission and it ensures all USDA programs will deliver true high-speed broadband to consumers.  In addition, Representative Austin Scott’s (R-Georgia) proposal will authorize the Rural Utilities Service to make loans or loan guarantees to middle mile infrastructure projects under the Rural Broadband Assess Loan and Loan Guarantee Program. This proposal expands the jurisdiction of the Rural Utilities Service’s rural broadband programs to fund more projects in rural America.

Anticipating a very political markup, Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) renewed their commitment to produce a bipartisan Farm Bill in their chamber.  The Senate bill is expected to include significant departures from the House version.  Senators Roberts and Stabenow are planning to introduce their bill by mid-May.

This week, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue testified before the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee to discuss USDA's fiscal 2019 budget request.  Secretary Perdue was defended against attacks from Democrats and Republicans who argued the budget request was unrealistic and hurtful to rural America.