With the U.S. presidential election just days away, passage of a new Farm Bill remains at a standstill.

Speaking to crawfish and rice farmers in Jeff Davis Parish on Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy said it is unlikely a new long-term Farm Bill will be passed this year because of an ongoing stalemate in Congress.

“Right now there is a Farm Bill on the House side that I think farmers typically like while there’s a Farm Bill on the Senate side that is stuck,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy is hopeful both sides can reach a compromise by the end of the year, depending on how the election goes, but says another extension is likely. Currently the two sides are divided on the measure.

Among the conflict points of the measure is funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, which is included in the Farm Bill. At least one draft of the Farm Bill greatly reduces funding to the SNAP program.

“The Biden administration has been expanding access to SNAP programs, for example, able bodied men without children, so now 82 percent of the Farm Bill goes to SNAP benefits,” he said, noting that the Democrats are pushing to retain it while the Republicans are against it.

Cassidy wants the two sides to work together to pass a new Farm Bill which will address the current drought and other natural disasters, while increasing support for crops like rice, sugarcane and barley.

“There’s a lot at stake in this Farm Bill and it kind of goes directly into the relief for farmers who have been affected by natural disasters,” Cassidy said.

The Farm Bill also earmarks $1.5 trillion for crops, livestock and federal loan programs to help farmers access financial credit. It also provides government aid and financial support to school lunch programs, commodity programs, rural economic development, education programs, crop insurance, natural resource conservation, international food aid and more.

State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said the current Farm Bill, which was passed in 2018, expired last year but was extended until Sept. 30, 2024. A new bill has yet to be passed, which creates uncertainty for farmers already faced with a severe drought, declining crop prices and increasing cost of operations.

Without a new Farm Bill in place farm-ag services are affected, people cannot be hired and new contracts can’t be signed, Strain said. In addition, some farmers may not be able to get a crop loan without it.

Strain anticipates another exemption to extend to February or March after a new Congress takes office.

Strain urged Congress to provide a timely, fully funded farm bill to include disaster provisions for farmers, assistance with crop insurance and increase commodity prices to the current market level.