Apart from the three-week hiatus in House activity in the absence of a Speaker, the 2023 Farm Bill will only become a reality during the first quarter of 2024.  Obstacles other than the priority of funding bills that have arisen in the House relate to the allocation of $20 billion for climate mitigation.  All 24 Democratic members of the House Agriculture Committee are adamant that these funds should be allocated for their intended purpose.  In contrast, Republican members, many of whom are climate deniers and preoccupied with their prospects for reelection, intend to divert part or all of the climate mitigation funding to crop supports.

In the Senate, there is considerable dissension over SNAP eligibility with little prospect of compromise over the short term.  Fortunately, the Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee, Senator Debbie Stabenow has the experience and personal credentials to effect compromises among members of her Committee despite opposing views on policy.