GOP on Farm Bill

GOP on Farm Bill

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. GOP Ag leaders on Capitol Hill say they’ll overhaul the conservation title of the farm bill if they win a majority in the next Congress.

House Ag Republicans, like Doug LeMalfa, are already taking shots at President Biden’s $3.5 billion ‘climate-smart’ conservation spending weeks before midterm elections …

LeMALFA … “This funding’s being released unilaterally. In addition, this funding comes on top of the most recent reconciliation package passed last month, which provided roughly $20 billion for conservation programs.”

LeMalfa concedes USDA programs provide big environmental benefits like soil health, but as for focusing dollars on climate efforts …

LeMALFA … “The House Ag Committee must be mindful of this massive amount of funding before amending programs and making policy changes that reorient conservation programs more toward climate mitigation.”

And from possible next Ag chair Glenn Thompson …

THOMPSON … “I especially am worried about the earmarking of all the new money just for climate rather than letting the locally-led process work.”

Thompson stressed making the conservation title work by strengthening CSP, RCPP, looking at CRP, not undermining the popular EQIP, and innovating Precision Ag.

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