Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 11/22/21

House Democrats finally passed their $1.7 trillion spending package on Friday, sending the historic spending on agriculture conservation programs, debt relief, farmworker aid and climate research (among a slew of other funds) over to the Senate.

Ag’s CBO score: The Congressional Budget Office estimates the agriculture-related programs in the bill would increase federal spending by $76.9 billion between 2022 and 2031, reported our Meredith Lee on Friday.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the overall package provides “significant investments” to help farmers and others “deploy important conservation practices and the research essential to inform them.” He added that climate-friendly agriculture practices “can lead the way” on tackling climate change by helping to capture carbon and offset greenhouse gas emissions.

Some opposition: The American Farm Bureau Federation last week came out as one of the few farm groups so far to oppose the legislation. The benefits of the agriculture programs would not outweigh the bill’s overall spending and “the enormously burdensome tax increases,” Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall wrote in a letter to House lawmakers — even though the legislation leaves out originally proposed changes to the longstanding tax break known as “stepped-up basis” that both Republicans and Democrats argued would have hurt family farmers.

What’s next: Senate Democrats are expected to significantly modify the legislation in order to win the support of Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the main Democratic holdout. Congressional sources tell your host they don’t expect the agriculture provisions to take much of a hit.

So what’s on the chopping block? The immigration-related sections still need to pass muster with the parliamentarian, who has axed Democrats’ other attempts at including immigration measures in the spending package, which is restricted by Senate budget rules, reports POLITICO’s Marianne LeVine.

Back to you: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he aims to pass the legislation by Christmas. If it clears the Senate, the House will need to approve any changes in the final bill before it heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.