American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) director of government affairs Brandon Pachman walked seed professionals through the politics, history and high stakes behind a Farm Bill that keeps slipping into extensions.
The United States is operating on a Farm Bill written seven years ago, patched together by temporary extensions, and stretched far beyond the farm economy it was designed for. Crop prices have swung, trade patterns have fractured, conservation demands have surged and political coalitions that once made the bill possible have weakened. As the industry waits for Congress to restart the process, ASTA Director of Government Affairs Brandon Pachman is one of the few voices cutting through the noise to explain what these delays mean for seed companies and the growers they serve.
Before he dove into the foundations, Pachman addressed the headline news of the week: the $12 billion aid package announced by USDA.
“We’re going to start this Farm Bill presentation by talking about something besides the Farm Bill,” he says. “China has been buying a lot less of American soybeans, so the Department of Agriculture is tapping the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance.”
That framing set the tone. Nothing about this moment in agricultural policy is tidy or predictable. Yet Pachman kept the discussion grounded in what seed companies need to understand.
The Origins That Still Shape the Law
Pachman moved from the present to the past with a reminder that the Farm Bill’s roots run deeper than most remember.
“Between 1930 and 1935 something like 75,000 farms actually went bankrupt,” he says.
He explained that the Agriculture Adjustment Act was controversial, unprecedented and necessary. It created a safety net that slowly evolved into the sprawling 12-title modern Farm Bill. Congress revisited it every five years and built coalitions around it because no single interest group could pass its priorities alone.
“Over time, Congress got in the habit of passing these bills every five years,” he says. “And that coalition is really the magic of the Farm Bill.”
That magic, he noted, has been harder to recreate in today’s political environment.
Extensions Aren’t a Strategy
This Farm Bill expired years ago. Congress has passed multiple extensions instead of producing a full reauthorization. Pachman didn’t sugarcoat the problem.
“A farm bill extension is like replacing a wet ceiling tile,” he says. “A full five-year Farm Bill is fixing the leaky pipe.”
Extensions keep funding steady but freeze policy in place. As the agricultural economy shifts around weather extremes, trade instability and input costs, the 2018 framework grows more outdated.
“It’s going to get increasingly outdated because agriculture has advanced and the farm economy has changed over time,” he says.
The longer Congress waits, the harder the reset becomes.
Where Farm Bill Touches the Seed Industry
As questions surfaced about what parts of the Farm Bill matter most to seed companies, Pachman linked the program’s structure to industry realities.
“When the farm economy does well, it’s good for the seed industry,” he says.
He walked the audience through the three legs of the farm safety net, then spent time on the titles that most directly influence seed demand, breeding innovation and global market access.
“The research title is arguably one of the most important titles for the seed industry,” he says. “It funds land grant institutions and direct grants for projects that advance genetics and production.”
Trade policy sits close behind.
“Exports are an essential part of the ag economy,” he says. “Canada and Mexico are some of the largest markets for American seeds.”
He also pointed to the conservation title, the horticulture and organics sections and the growing footprint of biosecurity programs that rely on seed sector expertise.
The Questions That Go Deeper
Audience questions pushed the conversation into areas where policy meets practice.
One participant asked whether farm labor could be addressed in the bill.
“A lot of the labor issues are addressed outside of the Farm Bill,” Pachman says. “But a farm bill could make it easier to research and implement technologies that minimize the need for labor.”
Another question touched on why specialty crops seem to receive less support.
“Oftentimes a lot of the attention of the government is directed toward row crops and less toward specialty crops,” he says.
When someone asked about the newly announced regenerative agriculture pilot, Pachman was cautious.
“I think there are a lot of details we need to learn,” he says. “But generally speaking, it takes money from equip and CSP and moves it into a pilot program.”
Even the finer points of crop insurance brought his perspective back to the underlying structural challenge.
“It plays into the dynamic of why row crops need more assistance than specialty crops,” he says.
Why Advocacy Still Matters
The conversation shifted from policy to action as Pachman explained how individual stories influence congressional priorities.
“What really resonated with me was hearing directly from the people who were affected by these programs,” he says. “Stories and personal anecdotes stick a lot more than general focus.”
He urged members to talk with their representatives, share specific examples and make the connection between seed innovation and broader agricultural resilience.
“Every American has a direct interest in having a full five-year Farm Bill,” he says.
A Realistic View of What Happens Next
As the session wrapped up, someone asked the question that’s been hanging over the industry for months: where exactly is the Farm Bill right now?
“Neither version of a Farm Bill has been introduced in either chamber,” Pachman says. “We’re kind of still stuck at square one.”
He noted that as the election year moves closer, legislative opportunities will shrink, not grow. That leaves stakeholders urging Congress to act before the window closes again.
The Farm Bill may remain tangled in politics, but Pachman’s message was steady. Understanding the bill’s foundations, recognizing its importance to the seed sector and speaking up while there’s still time are the best ways to make progress.
