It wasn’t really a surprise that House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, was unable to secure enough Republicans to champion his farm bill to the finish line this week. Yet, Conaway said it’s only a setback in the final goal.

“We experienced a setback today after a streak of victories all week. We may be down, but we are not out,” Conaway said following the vote. “We will deliver a strong, new farm bill on time as the President of the United States has called on us to do. Our nation’s farmers and ranchers and rural America deserve nothing less.”  

But it’s those same farmers who are wondering if Congress has what it takes to offer them the support they need.

“We are already starting to hear from farmers across the nation, many of whom are perplexed and outraged at this morning’s vote. They are facing very real financial challenges,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “We call on all members of Congress not to use farmers and ranchers as pawns in a political game. The risk management tools of the farm bill are too important, particularly at a time of depressed farm prices.”

Kevin Skunes, North Dakota farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association, added, “Depressed commodity prices, the increasing threat of a trade war, and disruptions in the ethanol market are creating uncertainty across rural America. Our farmers need clarity on the prospects of a new farm bill signed into law this year.”

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“Plain and simple: the farm bill matters," said American Soybean Association President and Iowa soybean grower John Heisdorffer. "U.S. soybean growers and everyone involved in agriculture depend on this vital piece of legislation. This bill provides a farm safety net, improves conservation, places value on exports and feeds our nation.”

National Association of Wheat Growers President and Sentinel, Oklahoma farmer Jimmie Musick said wheat growers are disappointed the reauthorization process has stalled.

“Between low commodity prices, a suffering ag economy, extreme weather conditions, and disease, growers need access to a strong farm bill after September 30,” he said. “Congress needs to enact a Farm Bill before the current one expires to give farmers long-term certainty that a safety net will be available through these uncertain and difficult economic conditions.”  

But the farm bill failure again inserts a layer of continued uncertainty for not only farmers, but the farm lending institutions.

Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Raine said due to a fifth straight year of declining net farm income, which has fallen by more than 50% since 2013, the agricultural economy is challenging and fragile. “A new farm bill to replace the bill expiring Sept. 30 is needed to provide financial stability to rural America and to support the efforts of community banks to continue financing our farmers, ranchers and rural communities.”

Related:Praise, outrage over failure of Farm Bill

Not one Democrat voted in favor of the bill and 30 Republicans voted against the farm bill. Throughout the 3-day voting process and since the bill was introduced mid-April, House Democrats have called for a more bipartisan approach to the bill.

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., said he was willing to come back to the negotiating table and offer the bipartisan approach that has served the agricultural industry well over the years.

“It’s unfortunate the Republicans chose to take this path, and it’s clear from their inability to get the necessary votes from within their own caucus that there are internal fractures they have to contend with. But this is a good opportunity for us to return to the table and fix this bill before we move forward,” Peterson said. “As I said in my remarks Wednesday, this job is too big for one party. Let’s come together and figure out a bill that works for everyone. We don’t have to let this process be held hostage by the demands of the extremes of our parties. We can and should take the time to get the farm bill right.”

And now we see if the chamber is ready to put partisan politics aside and help advance a bipartisan bill. The Senate says it hopes to do so in the next couple of weeks.