The prospects of a new five-year farm bill passing this Congress remain low, some farm lobbyists believe, despite the proclaimed concern from many members of Congress over the plight of farmers and agricultural workers.

The farm bill, once a fairly routine omnibus legislative package, in recent years has become the center of a proxy war between Democrats and Republicans hoping to use farm legislation to promote various political agendas. Last year, for example, the Democratic controlled Senate and the Republican controlled House Agriculture Committee both passed versions of the farm bill that cut billions of dollars from the federal budget.

Rather than allow a vote on either bill, however, GOP leadership stalled a vote on the farm bill, with some congressional insiders hinting that Speaker of the House John Boehner did not want to risk his political capital passing a major spending bill in an election year.

With the farm bill process starting from scratch this year, many farmers are still pessimistic about its chances for passage. Ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee Colin Peterson recently refused to work with Republicans on a new farm bill until Speaker Boehner committed to allowing a vote on this year’s bill (something he has not yet done). While both men are planning on meeting on February 4, some farm lobbyists have placed the odds of Congress passing a 2013 Farm Bill at roughly 25 percent.

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer