05/29/07 House Ag Committee will use reserve funds

Farm and Ranch May 29, 2007 U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson says his committee now plans to use some but not all of the 20 billion dollars given agriculture in a reserve fund for the Farm Bill markup. Those monies must be offset and Peterson told reporters some of those may come from programs under the Ag Committee's jurisdiction but House leadership is also talking to other committees for offsetting spending reductions. Use of the reserve doesn't necessarily mean more money for commodity programs. Peterson: "But I would just say to you in the commodity title it is my view at this point that there will not be reserve funds used in the commodity title. I have told the commodity groups that I feel that they need to live with the money that is in the commodity title and we need to make that work. So, that is where we are going to be coming from with commodities." Now that the decision to tap the reserve funds has been made Peterson says a subcommittee decision to put a moratorium on new Conservation Security Program sign ups will probably be reversed in full committee. And of course Peterson recognizes that when a Farm Bill gets to conference with the Senate, CSP is a top priority of Senate Ag Chairman Tom Harkin. Peterson: "We have to deal with that discussion with him at that point. My guess is, is that we will continue to have sign ups when all is said and done here." I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.