SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Farmers across Illinois spent the fall wondering when Congress would pass a new Farm Bill. They will have to wait another year.

The Farm Bill, a piece of federal legislation that helps farmers with disaster protection, farm loans, and safety net programs. It expires every five years. The last one was passed in 2018, but instead of agreeing to a new one, Congress renewed the current one for another year.

Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.) believes extending the bill is important for reaching a bipartisan compromise next year.

“What I’m trying to look at this extension is, how can I advocate for the priorities for Central and southern Illinois family farmers during this time to make sure we’re getting the most that we can out of this farm bill to support our commodities, our corn, our soybeans, agricultural research” she said.

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The Farm Bill also covers the Supplemental Nutrition Program, and the 2018 Farm Bill legalized growing industrial hemp. SNAP, which is about 80% of the funding of the Farm Bill, is reportedly a main point of contention over the bill between the two political parties.

But the Illinois Farm Bureau believes the bill is so important lawmakers will put politics aside next year.

“Agriculture is hopefully one of the last bastions of bipartisanship that we can see everyone coming together,” Kevin Senlow, the executive director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities for IFB, said.