Congress left for the year without passing a new farm bill.  However, the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees believe they will have a framework for the farm bill conference committee to consider early next year. 

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Indications are the full House-Senate farm bill conference committee will meet the first week of January to resolve any outstanding issues that the leaders did not complete.  These will include key issues for the livestock and meat industries: country-of-origin labeling (COOL), GIPSA, and the King amendment.  After the conference committee is finished, it is expected the farm bill conference report will be considered by the full Congress.  The goal is to complete the bill by the end of January.