Congress works on new Farm Bill as deadline nears - KCBD

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, has been reaching out to South Plains farmers to shape the bill before time runs out. Kody Bessent, with Plains Cotton Growers, said the marketing assistance loan program tops the list of priorities for cotton growers in the region. He wants it structured to keep working even if the federal government shuts down again.

Conservation programs also made the wish list Bessent laid out. For an area built on cotton farming, that kind of federal backstop matters more than most people realize until it disappears.

The timeline squeezes everyone involved. With the current extension expiring at the end of September, lawmakers have a narrow window to pass a new bill or lean on another short-term fix. For farmers across the South Plains, the marketing assistance loan isn't just a line item on a budget. It's the kind of protection that decides whether a shutdown in Washington turns into a real problem on a farm outside Lubbock.

Cotton growers here have leaned on federal support through past shutdowns and market swings. This bill will decide how much of that cushion survives the next one.