Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 12/11/15

The short-term extension on spending authority for the federal government delays the resolution of several agriculture-related issues, including country-of-origin labeling.

The Senate passed the legislative patch on Thursday; the House is expected to follow suit Friday. The spending extension would give Congress another five days to reach agreement on the larger omnibus spending bill — which has a number of contentious provisions added to it, including COOL and research on gun violence.

Other ag provisions that legislators will have more time to negotiate over include repeal of the Waters of the U.S. rule and a federal law on GMO food labeling to pre-empt one due to go into effect in 2016 in Vermont.

On COOL, Congress either could repeal the law outright or make the labeling voluntary rather than mandatory.

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