02/12/08 House Ag Chair to offer compromise farm bill

Farm and Ranch February 12, 2008 House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson plans to offer a compromise farm bill to the Senate this week that includes tighter payment limits. Peterson thinks it is a bill the President will sign. Peterson: "We have got something that we worked out with the House Republicans, the committee, that we are in agreement on, that we have the Speaker's support that we believe the President will sign. This will not satisfy the Senate and we are not trying to outflank the Senate or anything like that. We have gotten through all the work in the conference that we can do basically until we settle these big issues." Peterson says some of the details including increases in crop support rates, an increase in the sugar loan rate and how to pay for the bill, were worked out over the weekend. He says Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin is also working with him, however Senators Kent Conrad, Max Baucus and Saxby Chambliss are working on their own deal. Peterson: "They are looking at revenue changes or loophole closings as a way to provide money for this bill. The problem is that at this point they are talking among themselves, which is good. But they need to engage Senator Harkin, Bob Goodlatte. He basically has to sign off if you are going to get this bill through the House. And they need to engage the White House." I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.