Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R45210
Congressional Research Service
The farm bill provides an opportunity for Congress to address agricultural and food issues comprehensively about every five years. Over time, farm bills have tended to become more complicated and politically sensitive. As a result, the timeline for reauthorization has become less certain. Beginning in 2008, farm bills have been subject to various developments that have delayed enactment, such as insufficient votes to pass the House floor, presidential vetoes, and extensions.
In the 118th Congress, the 2018 farm bill (the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334) expired on September 30, 2023, and with the 2023 crop year (crops harvested in 2023). On November 19, 2023, Congress enacted a one-year extension (P.L. 118-22, Division B, §102) of the 2018 farm bill. On May 23, 2024, the House Agriculture Committee passed H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, by a vote of 33-21. The committee adopted 25 amendments during markup and rejected four amendments. Eighteen amendments were offered and withdrawn. On November 18, 2024, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry chair introduced a farm bill, S. 5335. On December 21, 2024, Congress enacted a second one-year extension (P.L. 118-158, Division D) of the 2018 farm bill. The latest extension continues authorizations until September 30, 2025, and for the 2025 crop year.
The 2018 farm bill took eight months from introduction to passage and failed initially by vote in the House. By comparison, the 2014 farm bill took more than 21 months from introduction to enactment, failed by vote in the House, and spanned the 112th and 113th Congresses, including a one-year extension. The 2008 farm bill took more than a year to enact and was complicated by revenue provisions from another committee of jurisdiction, temporary extensions, and vetoes.
Most farm bills have been introduced in the first session of a two-year Congress (the odd-numbered year). Three of the farm bills that were introduced in the second session—the 1970, 1990, and 2018 farm bills—were enacted during a lame duck Congress of the same year. The 2014 farm bill was the first farm bill to start in one Congress (2012), remain unfinished, and require reintroduction in a subsequent Congress.
This report examines the major legislative milestones for the last 12 farm bills.
December 26, 2024
Jim Monke Specialist in Agricultural Policy
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service
Timelines for Enactment, Extension, and Vetoes ............................................................................ 1
Timeline Relative to Fiscal Years .............................................................................................. 3
Timeline Relative to Calendar Years ......................................................................................... 3
Timeline Relative to the Two-Year Congressional Term .......................................................... 4 House or Senate Action First ..................................................................................................... 4
Short-Term Extensions .............................................................................................................. 4
Presidential Vetoes .................................................................................................................... 5
Implications for Congress................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 1. Major Legislative Actions on Farm Bills, 1965-2024 ...................................................... 2
Table 1. Major Legislative Actions on Farm Bills, 1965-2024 ....................................................... 5
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 10
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service 1
he farm bill provides an opportunity for Congress to address agricultural and food issues comprehensively about every five years.1 Over time, farm bills have tended to become more complicated and politically sensitive. This has made the timeline for reauthorization
less certain. Recent farm bills have been subject to developments that have delayed enactment, such as insufficient votes to pass the House floor, presidential vetoes, and extensions.
During the 118th Congress in 2023, no committee markups were held to reauthorize the 2018 farm bill (the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334). The 2018 farm bill expired on September 30, 2023, and with the 2023 crop year (crops harvested in 2023).2 On November 19, 2023, Congress enacted a one-year extension (P.L. 118-22, Division B, §102) of the 2018 farm bill.
On May 23, 2024, the House Agriculture Committee passed H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, by a vote of 33-21, after it had been introduced on May 21, 2024. Out of 59 amendments proposed, the committee adopted 25 amendments during markup, of which 19 were in an en bloc amendment; six other amendments were adopted by voice vote, one of which had a second-degree amendment adopted by a recorded vote.3 Four amendments failed by recorded vote. Eighteen amendments were offered and withdrawn after some discussion; 12 amendments were not offered.4 On November 18, 2024, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry chair introduced a farm bill, S. 5335. The Senate committee took no further action on this bill.
On December 21, 2024, Congress enacted a second one-year extension (P.L. 118-158, Division D) of the 2018 farm bill. The latest extension continues the authorizations that were in effect on September 30, 2024, as extended, until September 30, 2025, and for the 2025 crop year.
This report examines the major legislative milestones for the last 12 farm bills over 58 years, a period representing modern farm bills with growing complexity. Table 1 contains a history of major legislative action on farm bills since 1965. Figure 1 shows the major dates on a timeline.
The shortest farm bill debate in the past six decades was related to the 1973 farm bill, which was enacted less than three months after being introduced. In contrast, the 2014 farm bill took more than 21 months from introduction to enactment, spanning two Congresses.5 The House initially rejected a farm bill in 2013 and then passed separate farm and nutrition assistance components— the first time a chamber-passed farm bill did not include a nutrition title since 1973. The House later procedurally recombined them for conference with the Senate.
During the last reauthorization in 2018, the legislative timeline began with markup in the House Agriculture Committee in April 2018. An initial floor vote in May failed by 198-213, but procedures allowed that vote to be reconsidered (H.Res. 905). The House passed its bill in a second vote of 213-211 in June 2018. In the Senate, the Agriculture Committee reported its bill in
1 See CRS In Focus IF12047, Farm Bill Primer: Background and Status.
2 See CRS Report R47659, Expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill and Extension for 2024.
3 U.S. House of Representatives Committee Repository, “H.R. 8467 (118th Congress), The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024,” at https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventId=117371.
4 Ryan Hanrahan, “House Ag Committee Advances Contentious Farm Bill,” farmdoc, May 24, 2024, at https:// farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2024/05/house-ag-committee-advances-contentious-farm-bill.
5 These dates span only the official introduction of a bill marked up by committee until the President signed the bill. They do not include background hearings before committee markup, which would extend the timeline.
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service 2
June 2018. The Senate passed its bill by a vote of 86-11 in June. Conference proceedings officially began in September and concluded in December 2018.
Both the 2002 and 2008 farm bills had expired for about three months (from October through December in 2007 and 2012) before extensions were enacted. In each case, like in 2023, the fiscal year began under a continuing resolution for appropriations. The extensions of the 2002 farm bill were for relatively short periods totaling about five months during final House-Senate negotiations. The extensions of the 2008 farm bill, effective in 2013, and the 2018 farm bill, effective in 2024 and 2025, were for a full year.
Parts of a farm bill are authorized for different periods of time—fiscal years, calendar years, and crop years. Programs authorized by the 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334), as twice extended (P.L. 118-22, Division B, §102; and P.L. 118-158, Division D, §4101), now generally expire either at the end of FY2025 (September 30, 2025) or after the 2025 crop year, which varies among crops.6
Figure 1. Major Legislative Actions on Farm Bills, 1965-2024
Source: Figure created by CRS using Congress.gov, http://www.congress.gov.
6 A primary exception to expiration in 2025 is the parts of the conservation title that were extended to 2031 in P.L. 117- 169, commonly known as the Inflation Reduction Act. See the “Conservation Programs” heading in CRS Report R47659, Expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill and Extension for 2024.
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service 3
Enacting farm bills after the end of the final fiscal year for which programs have been authorized has been a common occurrence. In the past 42 years covering the nine farm bills since 1976— when the federal government began using a fiscal year that began on October 17—only the 1977 and 2002 farm bills were enacted before the September 30 expiration date for programs that would have been affected by the fiscal year.8
The 1981, 1985, 1990, and 2018 farm bills were enacted within three months after the final fiscal year for which programs were authorized ended. The 1996 farm bill was enacted in April 1996 following the September 30, 1995, expiration of some of the authorizations in the 1990 farm bill.9 The 2008 and 2014 farm bills were enacted well after their original September 30 expirations and following the enactment of extensions.
Expiration at the end of a fiscal year (September 30) matters for programs with fiscal year authorizations. These programs include certain nutrition, conservation, and trade programs; various agricultural programs, excluding the Title I commodity programs; and many authorizations for discretionary appropriations. The consequences of expiration of a farm bill are discussed in other CRS reports.10
Ten of the thirteen farm bills since 1965 were enacted before December 31 in the year of their expirations. The exceptions were extensions enacted for 2008, 2013, and 2024 because action had not been completed the previous year (see “Short-Term Extensions” below).11 The 2018 farm bill was the first time since before 1965 that both chambers completed floor action before the end of June.
Expiration at the end of a calendar year matters mostly for the dairy program, one of the farm commodity programs in Title I of recent farm bills. The farm commodity programs are tied to crop years—that is, the year in which a crop is harvested—and dairy is the first commodity that would be affected by reverting to “permanent law,” since its crop year begins on January 1 after the year of expiration.12
7 The federal fiscal year changed in 1976. A “transition quarter” was added to move the beginning of the fiscal year from July 1 to October 1. See Office of Management and Budget, Historical Tables: Budget of the U.S. Government.
8 Before the 1973 farm bill, which was the first to incorporate reauthorization of the food stamp program that had a fiscal year expiration, the focus of the farm bill was the farm commodity programs that operated by crop years.
9 While the 1996 farm bill was not pressured by the expiration of farm commodity programs in the 1990 farm bill— since budget reconciliation in 1993 had extended them through the 1996 and 1997 crop years—some of the original FY1995 expiration dates for food stamps, certain conservation programs, and various authorizations of appropriations continued unchanged and had not been extended by the reconciliation act.
10 For example, see explanations in CRS Report R47659, Expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill and Extension for 2024.
11 The 1965 farm bill was extended for one year, but that extension occurred more than a year before expiration and before the reauthorization process had begun in 1970. The 1996 and 2002 farm bills may appear to have been delayed by being reintroduced (1996) or going through the new year into May (2002), but their predecessors did not require extensions. The 1990 farm bill’s original expiration date of the end of the 1995 crop year had less of an effect on the 1996 farm bill’s timeline because budget reconciliation in 1993 had extended the farm commodity programs through at least 1996 and, in some cases, the 1997 crops. The 2002 farm bill was enacted before the 1996 farm bill expired on September 30, 2002, and before the 2002 crop year ended. In fact, the 2002 farm bill superseded the last year of the 1996 farm bill by beginning with the 2002 crop year.
12 Permanent law refers to non-expiring farm commodity programs that are generally from the 1938 and 1949 farm (continued...)
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service 4
Since 1965, 8 out of 12 enacted farm bills were introduced in the first session of a two-year Congress (the odd-numbered year). The other four (1970, 1990, 2014, and 2018) were introduced in the second session of a two-year Congress (the even-numbered year).13
Of the four farm bills introduced in a second session, three (the 1970, 1990, and 2018 farm bills) were enacted during a lame duck Congress (after an election) in November and December of the same year. The 2014 farm bill, which was introduced in 2012, was the first farm bill to start in one Congress, remain unfinished, and require reintroduction in a subsequent Congress.
There is no rule dictating which chamber initiates farm bill action. Since 1965, the Senate was first to mark up farm bills in 1973, 1977, 1981, 2012, and 2013. The House was first to mark up bills in 1965, 1970, 1985, 1990, 1995 (and 1996), 2001, 2007, 2018, and 2024.
Extensions of a prior farm bill while its successor is being written had been atypical but are now common in three of the past four reauthorizations (extensions during 2008, 2013, 2024, and 2024). Historically, only the 2002, 2008, and 2018 farm bills have required extensions.
When the 2002 farm bill expired, portions of it were extended six times for less than a year total beginning in December 2007 (Figure 1, Table 1).14
When the 2008 farm bill expired, the entire farm bill was extended in January 2013 for all of FY2013 and the 2013 crop year.15
While the 2014 farm bill was technically expired from October 1 until the 2018 farm bill was enacted in February 2018, a continuing resolution for appropriations continued many operations, though some new program activity had ceased.16 No extension was required.
In 2023, because no markups or floor action occurred to reauthorize the farm bill, Congress enacted a one-year extension in November 2023. A second one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill became necessary at the end of the 118th Congress.
bills. The temporary suspension of permanent law is included as a section in all recent farm bills. If the suspension of permanent law were to expire at the end of a crop year, the permanent law provisions would take effect unless a new farm bill, or an extension of the most recent bill, continues the suspension. For more details about permanent law and its consequences, see the heading on permanent law in CRS Report R47659, Expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill and Extension for 2024.
13 This counts 2012 as the introduction of what became the 2014 farm bill. Technically, the bill that became the 2014 farm bill (H.R. 2642) was introduced in 2013 (the first session of the 113th Cong.), but many consider it a reintroduction of the bills started in 2012 (the second session of the 112th Cong.).
14 CRS Report RL34154, Possible Expiration (or Extension) of the 2002 Farm Bill.
15 CRS Report R42442, Expiration and Extension of the 2008 Farm Bill.
16 CRS Report R45341, Expiration of the 2014 Farm Bill.
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service 5
Presidential vetoes of farm bills are not common. Since 1965, only the 2008 farm bill has been vetoed as stand-alone measure; it was vetoed twice. A 1995 farm bill was vetoed as part of a larger budget reconciliation package.
President George W. Bush vetoed the 2008 farm bill (H.R. 2419). When Congress overrode the veto to enact P.L. 110-234, it accidentally enrolled the law without Title III (the trade title). Congress immediately reintroduced the same bill with the trade title (H.R. 6124). President Bush vetoed this version as well, and Congress again overrode the veto to enact P.L. 110-246, a complete 2008 farm bill that included the trade title. The overrides in 2008 were the only time that a farm bill was enacted as a result of a veto override.
President Clinton vetoed a 1995 budget reconciliation package that included the first version of what became the 1996 farm bill, but the veto was not due to the farm bill itself but rather the controversial nature of the reconciliation bill in which the farm bill was embedded.
Prior to 1965, the first veto of a farm bill was in 1956, when President Eisenhower vetoed H.R. 12 (84th Congress), the first version of the Agricultural Act of 1956.
Farm bill reauthorization has tended to become more complex and engender greater political sensitivity. The process of enacting a new farm bill prior to the expiration of the existing law has become more difficult. As stakeholders in the farm bill have become more diverse, more people are affected by the legislative uncertainty around the farm bill process. This lack of certainty may compound questions about the availability of future program benefits.
Table 1. Major Legislative Actions on Farm Bills, 1965-2024
House Senate Conference Report Approval
Cmte. Passage Cmte. Passage
Conf.
Report
House
Passage
Senate
Passage Public Law
One-year extension
of the 2018 farm bill
Covers 2025 crop or
until 9/30/2025
One-year extension until 9/30/2025 and for the 2025 crop year (dairy price support extended until 12/31/2025). Did not provide funding for programs without mandatory baseline.
12/21/2024
P.L. 118-158,
Division D,
§4101
2024
Farm, Food, and
National Security
Act of 2024
Would cover 2025-
2029 crops or until
9/30/2029
5/23/2024 H.R. 8467
Vote of
33-21
— 11/18/2024
S. 5335
introduced
— — — — —
One-year extension
of the 2018 farm bill
Covers 2024 crop or
until 9/30/2024
One-year extension until 9/30/2024 and for the 2024 crop year (dairy price support extended until 12/31/2024). Provided $177 million of mandatory funding for 19 of the programs without mandatory baseline with an offset.
11/16/2023
P.L. 118-22,
Division B,
§102
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
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House Senate Conference Report Approval
Cmte. Passage Cmte. Passage
Conf.
Report
House
Passage
Senate
Passage Public Law
2018 farm bill
Agriculture
Improvement Act of
2018
Covers 2019-2023
crops or until
9/30/2023
4/18/2018
H.R. 2
Vote of
26-20
5/3/2018
H.Rept.
115-661
5/18/2018
H.R. 2
Initial vote failed
by 198-213
6/21/2018
Reconsidered
under
H.Res. 905
Passed by vote
of 213-211
6/13/2018
S. 3042 Vote of
20-1
6/28/2018
H.R. 2
Vote of
86-11
12/10/2018
H.Rept.
115-1072
12/12/2018
H.R. 2
Vote of
369-47
12/11/2018
H.R. 2
Vote of
87-13
12/20/2018
P.L. 115-334
2014 farm bill
Agricultural Act of
2014
(113th Congress)
Covers 2014-2018
crops or until
9/30/2018
5/15/2013 H.R. 1947
Vote of
36-10
5/29/2013
H.Rept.
113-92
6/20/2013 H.R. 1947
Failed by vote
195-234
7/11/2013 H.R. 2642
Farm portion
vote of 216-208
9/19/2013 H.R. 3102
Nutrition part
vote of 217-210
9/28/2013
H.Res. 361
combined
House bills
5/14/2013
S. 954 Vote
of 15-5
9/4/2013
S.Rept. 113-
88
6/10/2013
S. 954
Vote of
66-27
1/27/2014
H.Rept.
113-333
1/29/2014 H.R. 2642
Vote of
251-166
2/4/2014
H.R. 2642
Vote of
68-32
2/7/2014
P.L. 113-79
One-year extension
of the 2008 farm bill
Covers 2013 crop or
until 9/30/2013
One-year extension until 9/30/2013 and for the 2013 crop year (dairy price support extended until 12/31/2013, and the Milk Income Loss Contract program extended until 9/30/2013). Did not provide funding for programs without mandatory baseline.
1/2/2013
P.L. 112-240
Title VII
Agriculture Reform,
Food, and Jobs Act
(112th Congress)
7/11/2012 H.R. 6083
Vote of
35-11
9/13/2012
H.Rept.
112-669
— 4/26/2012
S. 3240 Vote of
16-5
8/28/2012
S.Rept. 112-
203
6/21/2012
S. 3240 Vote of
64-35
— — — —
Early partial
extension of the
2008 farm bill
Extended five conservation programs through FY2014 (Agricultural Management Assistance, Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Farmland Protection Program, and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program).
11/18/2011 P.L. 112-55
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
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House Senate Conference Report Approval
Cmte. Passage Cmte. Passage
Conf.
Report
House
Passage
Senate
Passage Public Law
2008 farm bill
Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of
2008
Covers 2008-2012
crops or until
9/30/2012
6/18/2008 H.R. 6124
Passed
over veto
317-109
6/18/2008 H.R. 6124
Passed
over veto
80-14
6/18/2008
P.L. 110-246
Re-passed as new bill
with Title III
5/22/2008
H.R. 6124
Vote of
306-110
6/5/2008
H.R. 6124
Vote of
77-15
6/18/2008
Vetoed
5/21/2008 H.R. 2419
Passed
over veto
316-108
5/22/2008 H.R. 2419
Passed
over veto
82-13
5/22/2008
P.L. 110-234
5/22/2007 H.R. 2419
Introduced
7/23/2007
H.Rept.
110-256
7/27/2007 H.R. 2419
Vote of
231-191
11/2/2007
S. 2302
S.Rept. 110-
220
12/14/2007
Amdt. to
H.R. 2419
Vote of
79-14
5/13/2008
H.Rept.
110-627
5/14/2008 H.R. 2419
Vote of
318-106
5/15/2008 H.R. 2419
Vote of
81-15
5/21/2008
Vetoed
Enrolling
error omitted
Title III
Short-term
extension of the
2002 farm bill
Continued extension until 5/23/2008. 5/18/2008
P.L. 110-231
Short-term
extension
Continued extension until 5/16/2008. 5/2/2008
P.L. 110-208
Short-term
extension
Continued extension until 5/2/2008. 4/25/2008
P.L. 110-205
Short-term
extension
Continued extension until 4/25/2008. 4/18/2008
P.L. 110-200
Short-term
extension
Continued extension until 4/18/2008 and added extension of suspension of permanent law. 3/14/2008
P.L. 110-196
Short-term
extension of the
2002 farm bill
Extended parts of the 2002 farm bill until 3/15/2008 but did not extend the direct and counter- cyclical farm commodity programs.
12/26/2007
P.L. 110-161
Division A,
§751
Early partial
extension of the
2002 farm bill during
budget
reconciliation
Extended the early-expiring Milk Income Loss Contract program for two years from 9/2005 through 8/2007 and two conservation programs (Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Security Program) until FY2010.
2/8/2006
P.L. 109-171
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House Senate Conference Report Approval
Cmte. Passage Cmte. Passage
Conf.
Report
House
Passage
Senate
Passage Public Law
2002 farm bill
Farm Security and
Rural Investment
Act
Covers 2002-2007
crops or until
9/30/2007
7/26/2001 H.R. 2646
8/2/2001
H.Rept.
107-191
10/5/2001 H.R. 2646
Vote of
291-120
11/27/2001
S. 1731
12/7/2001
S.Rept. 107-
117
2/13/2002
Amdt. to
H.R. 2646
Vote of
58-40
5/1/2002
H.Rept.
107-424
5/2/2002
H.R. 2646
Vote of
280-141
5/8/2002
H.R. 2646
Vote of 64-
35
5/13/2002
P.L. 107-171
1996 farm bill
Federal Agriculture
Improvement and
Reform Act of 1996
Covers 1996-2002
crops or until
9/30/2002
1/5/1996
H.R. 2854
introduced
Vote of
29-17
2/9/1996
H.Rept.
104-462
2/29/1996 H.R. 2854
Vote of
270-155
1/26/1996
S. 1541
introduced
2/7/1996
S. 1541 Vote of
64-32
3/12/1996
Amdt. to
H.R. 2854
Voice vote
3/25/1996
H.Rept.
104-494
3/29/1996 H.R. 2854
Vote of
318-89
3/28/1996 H.R. 2854
Vote of
74-26
4/4/1996
P.L. 104-127
Balanced Budget
Act of 1995, Title I
(Agricultural
Reconciliation Act
of 1995)
10/26/1995
H.R. 2491
includes
H.R. 2195
10/26/1995
H.R. 2491 Vote
of 227-203
10/28/1995
S. 1357
includes
Senate bill
10/28/1995
Amdt. to
H.R. 2491
Vote of
52-47
11/16/1995
H.Rept.
104-347
11/20/1995
H.R. 2491
Vote of
235-192
11/17/1995
H.R. 2491
Vote of
52-47
12/6/1995
Vetoed
Freedom to Farm
Act
8/4/1995
H.R. 2195
introduced
9/20/1995 fails cmte.
— 9/28/1995
unnumber-
ed bill
— — — — —
Early partial
extension of the
1990 farm bill
More than a year before expiration, extended the dairy program until 1996 and extended programs for wheat, feed grains, cotton, rice, peanuts, wool, and mohair until 1997 and honey until 1998.
8/10/1993
P.L. 103-66
1990 farm bill
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
Covers 1991-1995
crops or until
9/30/1995
2/5/1990
H.R. 3950
introduced
7/3/1990
H.Rept.
101-569
8/1/1990
H.R. 3950
Vote of
327-91
7/6/1990
S. 2830
S.Rept. 101-
357
7/27/1990
S. 2830 Vote of
70-21
10/22/1990
H.Rept.
101-916
10/23/1990
S. 2830 Vote of
318-102
10/25/1990
S. 2830 Vote of
60-36
11/28/1990
P.L. 101-624
1985 farm bill
Food Security Act of
1985
Covers 1986-1990
crops or until
9/30/1990
4/17/1985 H.R. 2100
introduced
9/13/1985
H.Rept. 99-
271
10/8/1985 H.R. 2100
Vote of
282-141
9/30/1985
S. 1714
S.Rept. 99-
145
11/23/1985
H.R. 2100
Vote of
61-28
12/17/1985
H.Rept. 99-
447
12/18/1985
H.R. 2100
Vote of
325-96
12/18/1985
H.R. 2100
Vote of
55-38
12/23/1985 P.L. 99-198
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House Senate Conference Report Approval
Cmte. Passage Cmte. Passage
Conf.
Report
House
Passage
Senate
Passage Public Law
1981 farm bill
Agriculture and
Food Act of 1981
Covers 1982-1985
crops or until
9/30/1985
5/18/1981 H.R. 3603
introduced
5/19/1981
H.Rept. 97-
106
10/22/1981
S. 884
Vote of
192-160
4/7/1981
S. 884
introduced
5/27/1981
S.Rept. 97-
126
9/18/1981
S. 884
Vote of
49-32
12/9/1981
H.Rept. 97-
377
12/10/1981
S.Rept. 97-
290
12/16/1981
S. 884
Vote of
205-203
12/10/1981
S. 884
Vote of
67-32
12/22/1981
P.L. 97-98
1977 farm bill
Food and
Agriculture Act of
1977
Covers 1978-1981
crops or until
9/30/1981
5/13/1977 H.R. 7171
introduced
5/16/1977
H.Rept. 95-
348
7/28/1977
Amdt. to S. 275
Vote of
294-114
1/18/1977
S. 275
introduced
5/16/1977
S.Rept. 95-
180
5/24/1977
S. 275
Vote of
69-18
9/9/1977
S.Rept. 95-
418
9/16/1977
S. 275
Vote of
283-107
9/9/1977
S. 275
Vote of
63-8
9/29/1977
P.L. 95-113
1973 farm bill
Agriculture and
Consumer
Protection Act
Covers 1974-1977
crops or until
6/30/1977
6/20/1973 H.R. 8860
introduced
6/27/1973
H.Rept. 93-
337
7/19/1973
Amdt. to S.
1888
Vote of
226-182
5/23/1973
S. 1888
introduced S.Rept. 93-
173
6/8/1973
S. 1888 Vote of
78-9
7/31/1973
H.Rept. 93-
427
8/3/1973
S. 1888 Vote of
252-151
7/31/1973
S. 1888 Vote of
85-7
8/10/1973 P.L. 93-86
1970 farm bill
Agricultural Act of
1970
Covers 1971-1973
crops
7/23/1970
H.R. 18546
H.Rept. 91-
1329
8/5/1970
H.R. 18546
Vote of
212-171
9/4/1970 Amdt. to
H.R. 18546
S.Rept. 91-
1154
9/15/1970
Amdt. to
H.R. 18546
Vote of
65-7
10/9/1970
H.Rept. 91-
1594
10/13/1970 H.R. 18546
Vote of
191-145
11/19/1970 H.R. 18546
Vote of
48-35
11/30/1970 P.L. 91-524
Early extension of
the 1965 farm bill
More than a year before expiration, extended the farm bill for one-year until 12/31/1970. 10/11/1968 P.L. 90-559
1965 farm bill
Food and
Agricultural Act Covers 1966-1969
crops
7/20/1965 H.R. 9811
H.Rept. 89-
631
8/19/1965 H.R. 9811
Vote of
221-172
9/7/1965 Amdt. to
H.R. 9811
S.Rept. 89-
687
9/14/1965
Amdt. to
H.R. 9811
Vote of
72-22
10/6/1965
H.Rept. 89-
1123
10/8/1965 H.R. 9811
Vote of
219-150
10/12/1965
H.R. 9811
Voice vote
11/4/1965
P.L. 89-321
Source: CRS. Notes: Includes only major legislative actions. Excludes subsequent revisions, such as in budget reconciliation, except for extensions as noted. Rows are sorted by date of the Public Law column.
Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2024
Congressional Research Service R45210 · VERSION 22 · UPDATED 10
Jim Monke Specialist in Agricultural Policy
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