The Democratic Party won a majority in the US House of Representatives while President Donald Trump's Republican Party retained control of the Senate in the mid-term elections held on Tuesday.

One of the first items on the agenda of the newly elected representatives and senators will be the Farm Bill, which sets rules and funding for American farmers in the same way as the CAP in Europe.

The previous Farm Bill expired on 30 September and proposed legislation to replace it has been bogged down in Congress, with the House and Senate passing different versions earlier this year. Democrats have opposed Republican cuts to the distribution of food stamps to people on social welfare, a nutrition programme providing for large-scale purchases from the agri-food industry.

The US government has provided emergency funding to plug the gap since October, but has also begun to wind down some farm schemes.

Trade deal

The US Congress must also approve the trade deal concluded by President Trump's administration with Mexico and Canada before it comes into effect. Farmers have been anxious for new export options after the trade war initiated by President Trump with China escalated tariffs for a range of US agri-food commodities.