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House ag committee begins crafting 2007 farm bill Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Agri News staff writer
House agriculture committee members last week began drafting the 2007 farm bill.
Subcommittees met to go over specific parts of the legislation beginning May 21, with meetings expected to continue into June.
"We are beginning a bipartisan, open and public process to create a farm bill that will address the changing landscape of our nation's agricultural economy," said Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn. "We understand how important it is for farmers, ranchers and consumers that we all work together and get this farm policy right."
Peterson drew criticism for his proposal to shelve the Conservation Security Program until 2012.
Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat who represents Minnesota's 1st District, said he's disappointed.
"And so are producers in southern Minnesota," he said. "I know that because they've spent the last two days calling me to tell me so." If the final bill doesn't contain improvements to the CSP, Walz said he'd have a hard time supporting it.
Likewise, Sen. Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat who chairs the Senate agriculture committee, said the CSP is necessary now more than ever.
Walz asked Peterson to fix the CSP by simplifying the application process, opening access to all producers and by providing the promised payments.
Peterson has proposed language to streamline the program after 2012, said Loni Kemp, senior policy analyst for the Minnesota Project.
Harkin is also proposing a simplified application process for conservation programs. Applicants would fill out one form and conservation staff would determine what program best fit their needs.
"Farmers need more conservation funding on agricultural land, yet the House bill doesn't provide it," Harkin said. "We need to devote funding to providing farmers the tools they need to produce the food, fiber and fuel America needs, while also producing the environmental benefits like clean water and abundant wildlife that come from good conservation." All sides acknowledge a lack of money is part of the problem. The farm bill allocation for 2007 is $60 billion smaller than in 2002.
Peterson took the money from the CSP in order to add more funds to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Farmland Protection Program.
Peterson has decided to keep the pot of money the same for each section of the farm bill, only allowing transfers within the pot.
Harkin and Peterson have been working toward getting more money, said Kemp.
They have said that agriculture has done a good job of saving money in the past and that new national challenges of energy and conservation require more money.
The goal is to have a new farm bill ready to go in September when most provisions of the 2002 bill expire. |
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