Getting A Farm Bill Done

Congress is off this week but according to Rep. Kurt Schrader from Oregon the machine has been set into motion to get a new farm bill secured. But at the end of it all, will everybody be happy about it?

SCHRADER: Well, it depends on what you define as happy. When I was in the state legislature my Senate president always said if you can get 60% of what you wanted in a bill you'd died and gone to heaven. You vote yes. I think we'll get way more than 60% of what most all the members of this conference in both House and Senate ag committees have fought long and hard for for the last four years.

Schrader says both sides are closer than you think.

SCHRADER: At the end of the day I think we have much more in common. At the conference meeting they ticked off the things that we all agree on like getting rid of direct payments, substituting a modern MILC program with minor variations in where we end of that. A better crop insurance program. A more modern forestry management system. The specialty crop plus up. The conservation program consolidation. I thick we've done pretty well and I think the committee as a whole is proud we're doing progressive, thoughtful work for the ag community.

But with everyone home for a break will anything get done?

SCHRADER: I believe very strongly that you are going to hear that Chairman Lucas and Chairwoman Stabenow are working all this next 10 days that we're back in district. I think you are going to see that a lot of this going to be done by staff and members talking to one another

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