Legislative update
Agriculture takes center stage as midterm elections approach
Upcoming legislative deadlines and elections could have a significant impact on growers and the irrigation industry. By John Farner
hile President Trump promotes his agenda to his base and Congress heads toward midterm elections, agriculture is ground zero for many of the issues still before Congress, and will likely play a big role during this November’s elections.
W So, where does the farm bill discussion stand?
At the time this article was written, the conference committee, made up of members of the U.S. House and Senate, are negotiating the differences in the House and Senate versions of the farm bill to bring for a final congressional vote before sending to President Trump for his signature. With a deadline of Sept. 30 looming, many differences still remain. The last two farm bills both needed extensions before being finally voted on and signed into law. Before that, President Bush vetoed a farm bill, only to have his veto overturned by Congress.
Fortunately, the conservation title is taking shape and there is much to celebrate for irrigation. First, the House Committee on Agriculture’s report calls for the Natural Resources Conservation
Service to weigh all benefits of efficient irrigation — not just water savings. The House legislation also significantly increases Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding through the elimination of the Conservation Stewardship Program and rolling that authority under EQIP. This means the pot of money available for irrigation in the states will increase, depending on the priorities of each state.
The Irrigation Association both directly and as a steering committee member of the Western Agriculture and Conservation Coalition, led advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill on behalf of the irrigation industry. Through this advocacy, the IA supports the current efforts of Congress and is confident that, if the talks continue in the current direction, this farm bill will be positive for irrigated agriculture.
For more information about the farm bill, please visit
www.irrigation.org/farmbill.
John Farner is the government and public affairs director for the Irrigation Association.
Fortunately, the conservation title is taking shape and there is much to celebrate for irrigation.
10 Irrigation TODAY | October 2018
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