Congress passed the last farm bill in 2018, and, since these bills are meant to be passed every five years, America was due for a new one in 2023. It was extended for another year but died on Sept. 30, 2024, leaving the future of the farm bill uncertain. Tension continues to build due to the current political environment, making the reauthorization of the following farm bill even more complicated. However, the future of agriculture depends on it.
A new farm bill, not just an extension, is in high demand. Our industry is rapidly advancing in technology, so we must implement updated programs and policies. With a lame-duck session set for Nov.12, Congress faces time pressure to make decisions before more benefits and programs expire at the end of the year.
Even though some programs are still in effect, GA producers are facing a period of uncertainty. This lapse can hinder specialty crop production, new technology advancements, and precision agriculture support across the state. Farmers deserve support from lawmakers and a stable industry to feed the growing American population. The first step to make these two things happen is to issue a new farm bill in 2025.
Since no true farm bill is currently in effect, how are GA producers affected?  Several programs died the same night the farm bill did, which means farmers are missing the national support they typically receive.
One missing program is the Specialty Crops Block Grants Program (SCBGP). Thanks to SCBGP, the USDA provides funding to each state to support the improvement of specialty crops. This program affects GA’s pecans, watermelons, blueberries, sweet corn, and cabbage. The government terminated nationally funded programs to support young, disadvantaged, or veteran farmers on Sept. 30 when the 2018 farm bill expired.
Luckily, several programs are permanently authorized, preventing their termination alongside the farm bill. Crop insurance programs are one of the most valuable of these permanently authorized programs, especially in GA. These programs can be purchased to protect farmers and ranchers against the loss of their crops from natural disasters or revenue loss. When income is low for reasons the farmer cannot control, crop insurance reimburses them to stabilize revenue.
Another crucial program the farm bill oversees is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program assists over 41 million Americans in buying groceries monthly, making it the most extensive anti-hunger program in the US. SNAP accounts for 95% of spending in the farm bill’s nutrition title, and nutrition accounts for 80% of the total farm bill budget. Millions of recipients may only retain their benefits if lawmakers quickly decide on the farm bill.
GA’s agricultural leaders are pushing for a few critical revisions in the next farm bill. US Senator Raphael Warnock hopes to increase reference prices by 5% to better reflect the rising costs of GA crops. Peanuts, cotton, peaches, and blueberries face competitive international markets and are vulnerable to natural disasters. Warnock’s Southern Commodities, Rates, Opportunities, Production, and Support (Southern CROPS) Act would address many of the updated needs of farmers since the last farm bill was passed in 2018. The Southern CROPS Act would increase base acres for underserved farmers, improve marketing assistance loan rates, and increase assistance for textile mills.
Warnock’s other big push for the next farm bill is to include funding for precision agriculture, which has recently become a hot topic in the agriculture industry. New technologies such as drones and yield monitors can help farmers improve efficiency, reduce input costs, and meet the growing demand for food. Precision agriculture can help bridge the gap between rural communities and urban societies. 
Tyler Harper, GA’s agriculture commissioner, is advocating for crop insurance reform, more support from the SCBGP program to assist fruit and vegetable growers, and further support for precision agriculture.
Agriculture is GA’s number one industry, and an updated farm bill is crucial to farmers and the economy. A significant economic concern arising from this terminated farm bill is declining margins in the industry. Inflation, disruptions in the supply chain, increased input costs and depressed commodity prices cause low margins.