News of the partial government shutdown has overshadowed the October first expiration of the Farm Bill, which sets the nation’s policies on farming and nutrition.
Calloway County Dairy farmer Jim Stahler said he believes most Kentucky farmers continue their daily operations. He said if one aspect of the Farm Bill is not addressed before the end of the year it will affect people’s pocketbooks more than farmers’ operations.
“There’s some talk that unless a new Farm Bill goes into affect milk prices will double, and, of course, that’s not good for anybody,” Stahler said.
Crop farmer Marty Carraway says the expired Farm Bill has not affected his work either. He is in the middle of harvesting his crops as usual.
Kentucky Farm Bureau’s National Affairs and Political Education Director Joe Cain says it is likely that there will be movement toward either a new Farm Bill or an extension, but that it won’t happen until December.