Representative Ike Skelton

For the week of May 05, 2001

House Approves Farm Security and Rural Investment Act

Last week, a House-Senate conference committee completed its work on the new Farm Bill. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act, which replaces the Farm Bill that is set to expire on September 30, was approved in the House by a vote of 280 to 141.

Farmers throughout Missouri and across the nation have been facing some of the lowest crop prices in a generation. The last Farm Bill, the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act, was adopted when times were pretty good and with the notion of providing more flexibility for our agriculture producers. Unfortunately, it did not include an adequate safety net and failed to provide the tools we need to address hard times, like the current farm recession. Consequently, since 1998, Congress has approved billions of dollars in ad hoc farm income assistance.

In contrast, this year's Farm Bill provides a meaningful safety net for America's agriculture producers and gives certainty and support to farmers who might otherwise be forced to leave farming. The new Farm Bill authorizes $167 billion over 10 years in mandatory spending on farm programs, including $73.5 billion in new funds. This comprehensive measure contains provisions affecting subsidies to producers, conservation, food safety, nutrition, and trade.

For commodities, the bill continues the direct payment program and marketing loans, but also adds a counter-cyclical initiative that would make payments when farm prices are low. Importantly, the bill includes price supports for dairy farmers and increased assistance for apple producers.

The new Farm Bill expands USDA's conservation programs, such as increased funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), so that Missouri's farmers can address conservation problems and comply with expensive, but important, environmental regulations. The bill also extends and improves the food stamp program and other nutrition initiatives while renewing our emphasis on rural development, agricultural research, and energy - including language that reauthorizes and funds both biomass and biodiesel initiatives.

I am pleased that an agreement was reached on a new Farm Bill for America's farmers. The conference report must be approved in the Senate before it can be sent to the President to be signed into law.

- 30 -