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Senate Farm Bill Deliberations Break Down; May Be Taken up After Recess On Friday, the U.S. Senate fell five votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate on the Farm Bill, landing the legislation in a virtual holding pattern for now. The Senate will be in session for approximately two weeks in mid-December following the Thanksgiving recess and could return to the Farm Bill. IDFA expects negotiations to continue because there remains considerable pressure to reauthorize several programs that have expired or will expire soon. However, legislation has already been introduced in the House of Representatives to extend the 2002 Farm Bill by one year, because many legislators expect the current gridlock to remain. "Even if the Senate is able to move ahead with its version of the bill in December, it is very difficult to envision that a bill could be agreed upon with the House of Representatives and sent to the President before early next year," said Jerry Slominski, IDFA senior vice president.Posted November 19, 2007
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