This afternoon House Republican leaders moved to end the “will-they, won’t they” farm bill debate by stating a one-year extension is needed to provide certainty to producers.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) talked with leaders on the floor this afternoon and indicated that the situation was still a bit uncertain but that some kind of disaster aid package also was under consideration for livestock producers and other farmers whose drought losses would not be covered by crop insurance.
Lucas is now falling back to his earlier sentiments saying that a one-year extension may be necessary just because USDA may not enough time to develop new programs and insurance policies required by the bill for next year's crops.
Lucas will engage the extension plan with committee Republicans but acknowledged he may face opposition from Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN).