Senate Farm Bill Mark Up

Senate Farm Bill Mark Up. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Late last week the Senate Ag, Nutrition and Forestry Committee got down to brass tacks to do a mark up of the 2012 Farm Bill, officially called the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act. Every five years, Congress passes a bundle of legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy. The last Farm Bill was passed in 2008, and expires this year. The bill reduces spending on agriculture programs by over $23 billion, strengthens the safety net for producers in need and streamlines redundant and costly programs. Senator Debbie Stabenow is the chairwoman of the committee.

STABENOW: We’ve examined every program in the farm bill. We have reformed, streamlined and consolidated to get perhaps the most significant reforms in agricultural policy in any farm bill in recent memory. We’ve listened to farmers. We strengthened crop insurance and made that the centerpiece of risk management. We have a risk management tool that supplements crop insurance that will work for farmers and save money.

She says some members wanted an individual or county system so she says they are giving farmers the option to decide what will work best for them.

STABENOW: We have the tightest payment limits ever. We now have one simplified limit on income of $750-thousand dollars. We will give farmers the assistance they need when there are losses. It will be based on what’s actually planted, in other words the era of direct payments is over. We are working to strike a balance among the different regions and commodities.

In this version there is now a permanent baseline for livestock disaster assistance.

STABENOW: In short we have put together a bi-partisan farm bill that’s focused on farmers and gives them simplicity, flexibility and real accountability. We’re continuing the incredible work that gets done every single day because of the conservation title. We’re reducing complexity and refocusing programs to better support farmers and landowners who protect our land and water and wildlife. We’re increasing flexibility and transparency to make sure every dollar does the most good.

The bill was passed by a 16-5 margin. The House has not established a timetable for acting on its version of the bill.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.