What Happens if Congress Misses Farm Bill Deadline?

Barring a dramatic breakthrough, farm-state lawmakers will miss their target of enacting the 2018 farm bill in the next six days, according to two of the Senate and House negotiators charged with finding a compromise.

Successful Farmingreports there would be little immediate impact if the 2014 farm law expires, as scheduled, on Sunday without a successor in place.

Lawmakers have passed short-term extensions in the past while completing negotiations, or simply allowed a lapse of a few days.

At some point, a reversion to the “permanent” 1949 Agricultural Act, which would boost farm subsidy rates to unaffordable rates, reintroduce planting controls for some crops, and eliminate support for soybeans, will be invoked.

Several lawmakers have said it was unlikely Congress will pass the farm bill by Sunday.