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| Farm bill faces a Presidential veto this week |
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By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Farm Bill Conference Committee Report cleared both houses of Congress last week by what may be veto-proof margins.
The legislation was adopted by the House of Representatives 318-106 on May 14, while the Senate approved the report on May 15 by a vote of 81-15.
The bill goes to President Bush, who is expected to veto the report. If that happens, a vote to override the President’s veto is expected later this week.
The latest extension of the 2002 Farm Bill was set to expire May 16. But a one-week extension was passed by both the House and Senate by unanimous consent. Congressional leaders hope a new farm bill will be in place before Congress adjourns for its Memorial Day recess.
Bush said last week, prior to the House and Senate votes, that he plans to veto the bill.
“In the absence of a good farm bill, I call on Congress to extend current law for at least one year,” The President explained. “An extension is now the better policy for American agriculture and American taxpayers. It is a far superior option than supporting a bill that increases farm subsidy rates, spends too much and fails to reform farm programs for the future.
“Congress claims that this bill increases spending by $10 billion, but the real cost is nearly $20 billion when you include actual government spending that will occur if this bill becomes law. Instead of fully offsetting the increased spending, the bill resorts to a variety of gimmicks, such as pushing commodity payments outside the budget window.
“Adding nearly $20 billion in additional costs to the current ten-year spending level of approximately $600 billion is excessive, especially when net farm income is at a record high and food prices are on the rise.”
However, most national farm groups are urging Congress to override a potential veto.
“We are disappointed with statements by the Administration that the President will veto the bill,” said National Assoc. of Conservation Districts President John Redding, a cotton, peanut and pine tree producer from Monroe, Ga. “The NACD is committed to helping Congress override, should the President veto.
“Leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees should be commended for the dedication they have shown throughout the process to enact a farm bill.”
Livestock groups such as the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. also want the new farm bill adopted.
“While the new Farm Bill doesn’t accomplish all of the free-market reforms that were hoped for, it does contain some areas of improvement over the 2002 Farm Bill,” said Colin Woodall, NCBA’s executive director of legislative affairs.
“Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have worked very hard to deliver a Farm Bill that provides a certain level of stability and consistency for agricultural producers,” said Woodall. “No agricultural group is coming away with everything it wanted. But it’s a bill we can all live with, and it is the best option available to us at this time.”
The NPPC said many of their goals were included in the new farm bill report, including:
•Change the Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling law to include four new label categories for meat, including one to address Canadian feeder pigs by allowing flexibility in labeling so producers and packers can reduce sorting costs.
•Require a study that looks at the costs and impacts on pork producers and consumers of requiring packers to report wholesale pork cut prices and volumes.
•Give producers the right to cancel production contracts within three days of signing.
“Our goal going into the farm bill process was to maintain the competitiveness of the U.S. pork industry, which meant increasing funds for vital programs and keeping out any mischief,” said NPPC President Bryan Black, a pork producer from Canal Winchester, Ohio. “We accomplished that goal, and the 2008 Farm Bill is good for producers.”
Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) was among the 15 Senate members to reject the farm bill report.
“The 2008 Farm Bill contains many worthwhile polices, including valuable investments in conservation and nutrition programs,” he said. “However, it fails to provide meaningful crop subsidy program reforms that most Americans would support.
“This farm bill continues a set of antiquated programs that send a majority of payments only to farmers earning over $200,000 a year. It exceeds the budget allocation by $10-20 billion through the use of tax policies and budgetary sleights of hand. The perception of being within the budget limit is not reality.
“While it is true that subsidies are only part of the overall bill, Congress should not accept these outmoded policies in order to move along other priorities. The fiscal, food and trade policy costs are too great and too damaging.”
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), on the other hand, was pleased with the overwhelming support the bill received in the House.
“The House passage of the farm bill conference report on a strong, bipartisan basis demonstrates support for core farm bill initiatives – conservation, energy, nutrition and rural development – while continuing and strengthening farm income protection,” he said. “This bill benefits every American, from our smallest towns to our biggest cities, urban and rural residents, farmers and non-farmers. I now look forward to the Senate approving the measure with a strong vote.”
USDA Secretary Ed Schafer said, "Reckless spending like this is not what farm bills should be about. Congress had a real chance to implement reform and strengthen farm programs for the next decade.”
This farm news was published in the May 21, 2008 issue of the Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
| 5/21/2008 |
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