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Preparing for a funding battle
The appropriations process is underway in Washington, D.C., and a policy expert says it’s a preview of what Congress might accomplish this year.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Ethan Lane is preparing for a repeat of 2023, predicting that funding the government will be a dogfight. “The fiscal hawks want to cut far more from the Department of Agriculture than farm-state Republicans are comfortable with,” he says. “I think that’s a theme we’ll continue to see.”
He tells Brownfield that the appropriations process will provide some insight into whether Congress can move bills under regular order and if a farm bill can get done this year. “If it flatlines, they’ll be looking for other ways to spend their time,” he says. “If it keeps chugging along, it maintains the September timeline we keep hearing about.”
However, Lane says it’s a tough lift. “Especially in this political environment with these narrow margins on Capitol Hill right now,” he says. “If it happens in the next Congress, then so be it.”
AUDIO: Ethan Lane, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
