Rural Farming

The 80-year-old bill requires updates from Congress every five years to account for inflation and shifting welfare and agricultural policies. While some conservative circles argue the subsidies distort free markets, the omnibus bill has traditionally enjoyed broad bipartisan support. Urban and rural constituencies depend on its programs, while policymakers view a stable food source as imperative to national security.

Programs that provide drought relief to farmers use the U.S. Drought Monitor to determine eligibility, but some experts say it doesn’t always capture local conditions.

For one family of farmers in Louisiana, this year’s record-breaking extreme heat is taking a toll on both their crops and their health.