FarmPolicy

Attention on Senate

The editorial board at the Cleveland Plain Dealer stated yesterday that, “The current farm bill expires next month, and when Congress convened, there was some hope that a smarter system might replace it. The Bush administration, which embraced the status quo in 2002, this time suggested capping support eligibility at $200,000 in adjusted gross income and moving toward a floor for farm revenues, not prices. The idea was to reserve help for those farmers and for those times of most need. A bill with similar reforms had drawn support in 2002 from Nancy Pelosi and others now in the Democratic leadership.”

I. Farm Bill
II. Production Estimates – Biofuels
III. Paper: “The Impact of Renewable Energy on the U.S. Farm Policy Debate” (May 2007).

I. Farm Bill

Dan Looker, writing yesterday at AgricultureOnline, reported that, “The 2002 farm bill’s working lands program may be facing a battle for survival as the 2007 farm bill is written. The House version of the bill doesn’t authorize spending on the Conservation Security Program until 2012.

“But on Tuesday, the USDA breathed some life back into the program when Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the release of additional funding for Conservation Security Program (CSP) implementation.

“Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) got $115 million for CSP added to an Iraq war funding bill passed by Congress this spring (the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act).”

Mr. Looker indicated that, “In a statement, Harkin encouraged producers to take advantage of open enrollment in the Conservation Security Program (CSP) announced by the USDA.”

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Posted by Keith Good • August, 9, 2007 • 4:58 am