Philip Brasher

The cost of groceries jumped half a percent in November, driven by higher prices for eggs and beef, but supermarket prices have still risen just 1.6% over the past 12 months despite the spike last month.

Negotiations over a farm bill extension and a package of market relief assistance for farmers appeared to be at an impasse Saturday after Democratic leaders rejected the latest GOP proposal.

A wide range of commodity groups demanded Saturday that lawmakers oppose a stopgap spending bill unless it includes economic assistance for farmers. The demands raise the stakes for congressional leaders.

House GOP leaders were facing heavy pressure from farm groups and their allies in Congress on Sunday to add economic assistance for row crop producers to a year-end stopgap spending bill. House Democrats will pick a ranking member for the House Agriculture Committee on Monday.

Congressional leaders unveiled a massive year-end bill Tuesday evening that would provide $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers, plus a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill and a provision allowing year-around use of E15.

Elon Musk’s full-throated opposition to a massive stopgap funding bill forced House GOP leaders to rethink the legislation, leaving in doubt $31 billion in disaster aid and market relief for farmers. House Ag Chairman Glenn Thompson told Agri-Pulse he would oppose any new bill that excludes the economic assistance for farmers.

Daybreak Dec. 18: Farm aid secure, ag groups urge passage of year-end bill

House Republicans leaders reached agreement Thursday on a stripped-down stopgap spending bill that includes the debt limit increase President-elect Donald Trump demanded, plus economic assistance for farmers, but no action on E15. It wasn't clear the new bill could pass the House.

The House is expected to vote Friday on a scaled-down stopgap spending bill that would include $21 billion in ag disaster assistance and $10 billion in market relief for farmers, but no debt limit increase as President-elect Donald Trump had requested.

The House on Friday easily passed a stopgap spending bill that includes $21 billion in ag disaster assistance, $10 billion in market relief for farmers, and a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill. Dropped from the bill was a debt limit increase that President-elect Donald Trump had demanded.