The 2018 Farm Bill is getting closer to final approval after passing through both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. President Trump is expected to sign the bill any day now and it appears there could be some significant benefits for California once it gets here.
“There’s some really good stuff in it for California, I mean first of all, getting a farm bill is fantastic,” said Vice President of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Glenda Humiston. “Some really good things for beginning farmers and ranchers, and veterans’ efforts in ag. One thing that’s really potentially exciting for California in the rural development title is increasing the eligibility of communities up to 50,000 for some of the programs.”
The process of getting a farm bill agreed upon has been a lengthy ordeal and has caused significant concern from several different agricultural areas throughout the process. Humiston noted that the final version appears to be better than what was anticipated a month ago. “Nothing like a poison-pill as far as we know so far. I mean that’s one of the challenges with the farm bill, its so big and so complex at the last minute all kinds of things get snuck into it,” said Humiston. “At first read, increases in funding for organic and specialty crops, actually research in general, they’re authorized higher. Now of course the next step is fighting for appropriations.”
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