07/30/07 Simpson, Sali vote against farm bill

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson was frustrated by what he calls the Democrats' latest political tactic. SIMPSON "But I think over all it was a good farm bill as it came out of committee. Unfortunately in the dead of night before it came to the flood the Democratic leadership decided they were going to put a tax increase in it." Simpson and the Republicans voted against the Farm Bill but it still passed out of the House and now goes onto the Senate. Simpson says the tax hike, some seven and a half billion dollars, threatens more than five million jobs. However the legislation benefits Idaho specialty crop farmers, sugar producers and grain growers. SIMPSON "We increased the loan rate for sugar for the first time in 22 years. So we actually got a better sugar program now than we had before. It's the first time really that specialty crops got the recognition in the farm bill that they should have and of course it impacts Idaho to some degree. The wheat program in there and the barley program it increased the loan rates on barley and stuff to make it more equal with feed value of barley and so forth." The Senate is supposed to take up the Farm Bill in September and there could be major differences in that legislation and the House version. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott