The Senate Ag Committee released their draft of the 2018 farm bill on Friday. South Dakota Senator John Thune says the bill makes only slight changes in the current legislation, including minor tweaks to the farm safety net and payment limits. He says crop insurance is enhanced in the bill and the ARC program will now figure payments on RMA verses NASS yield data, which will eliminate county disparities. However, that is different than the House version.
He says conservation funding stayed intact in the 2018 legislation. However, the committee did advance several positive conservation measures, including his SHIPP concept.
Thune says the other notable difference is the Senate version does not contain SNAP reform, so that will have to be worked out.
The Senate Ag Committee will start markup on Wednesday and Thune says they’re hopeful for quick passage.
Leadership has indicated they could schedule a full floor vote after the Defense Authorization Bill.
