In a news conference about meat processing and the supply chain, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was asked about the farm bill. The USDA leader said farmers and ranchers want certainty. The five-year farm bill was supposed to have been completed by 2023, it had been promised by a number of folks in early 2024, in mid-2024 and by the end of September, none of which obviously is happening.” Vilsack said the talk about finalizing a farm bill before the end of the year is a positive sign.” An increase in reference prices is being sought. Vilsack said that can happen in one of two ways; either a practical approach to deal with reference prices within the current budget framework or by adding new money to the program.
