Congressman
CHARLIE STENHOLM
17th District of Texas

AG  TALK
By Charlie Stenholm
April 19, 2002

 Farm Bill Conference Still Underway

 The question on everyone’s mind in farm and ranch country is just what is happening with the farm bill.

It has been roughly six months since the House passed the “Farm Security Act of 2001” and yet despite six weeks of round the clock negotiations with the Senate, we still do not have a final farm bill.

This legislation, setting U.S. policy for commodities, conservation, rural development, nutrition, agricultural research, and export programs, is critical to our producers.

However, finding common ground on legislation this broad is no easy task.  

On Thursday, April 18, House and Senate conferees met twice in public sessions in an effort to work out a final farm bill.

We are meeting again today, Friday, April 19, and are trying to reach a compromise on the conservation portion of the farm bill.

I personally would support continuing to work around the clock and through the weekend if necessary in order to get a final farm bill. 

While some progress has been made, those of us in the House have continued to be frustrated by the Senate’s lack of willingness to move forward to resolve those key areas where there is disagreement.

As I have indicated in the past, the Senate bill cost $6 billion more than was allotted for agriculture spending under the budget resolution. 

Perhaps this helps to explain why the Senate farm bill is almost 1000 pages longer than the House farm bill.   

Oddly enough, having overspent by $6 billion, the Senate has still insisted on including everything in their bill.

You would think they would have come to the conference table understanding the need for compromise.

Instead, after all these weeks of negotiations, we continue to hear the same old speeches from the Senate.

On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle issued a press release taking the House to task for failing to do more to compromise with the Senate and, quite frankly, this was not helpful.

I would echo the comments of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest who pointed out that wheat and corn producers prefer the House farm bill.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers oppose the Senate’s livestock provisions, preferring the House bill.

Let me also add that we in the House are not interested in getting into a blame game with the Senate.

Regardless of the Senate’s stubbornness to negotiate, the House wants to get a farm bill out because our producers need it.   

Many issues remain in negotiation, including the level at which to set loan rates.

In fact, disagreements between the House and Senate on crop support rates shut down the farm bill conference earlier this week.

Let me note that the Bush Administration has publicly expressed preference for the House loan rates.

On another issue, the House still disagrees with the Senate provision that would ban packers from owning livestock 14 days prior to slaughter.

Yesterday, the full House voted to urge those of us negotiating on the farm bill to accept the Senate’s proposal to cap annual subsidies at $275,000 per farm. 

Work remains to be done on conservation and trade issues, including the ability of U.S. producers to sell agricultural commodities to Cuba through private U.S. financing.

There are many different interests at play here, and I am completely committed to finding a compromise.

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman told farm broadcasters on Monday that farm bill negotiations are entering a critical period. 

The Secretary indicated that if USDA is going to implement a new farm bill for this crop year, the House and Senate need to reach an agreement very soon. 

Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas has stated publicly that if a farm bill was not written soon, he would demand a vote on his bill to provide growers with $7.35 billion to address low prices and harsh weather this year.  

I sincerely hope it does not come to this because it is not in the best interests of this country for our producers to continue to rely on emergency assistance.

There are few winners in agriculture if we end up going that route.  

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Combest and I are doing everything we can to complete the farm bill as soon as possible.

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