Congressman
CHARLIE STENHOLM
17th District of Texas

AG TALK
By Charlie Stenholm
January 25, 2002

The Senate Farm Bill

Congress is back in session this week after a four-week recess. During that time, there was much discussion about why the Senate failed to complete action on a farm bill before the recess, and what action the Senate would take once they went back into session.
As you know, the House passed a farm bill last October, and those of us who pushed hard to make that happen were especially frustrated when the Senate failed to complete action this past December.

There is a crisis facing U.S. agriculture and rural America, and it is critical that Congress complete action on a farm bill as soon as possible.

Given that 2002 is an election year, it is safe to say that many senators are looking for ways to get a farm bill passed.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott have indicated that completing a farm bill this year is a high priority.

On January 24, Senator Daschle said he plans to complete work on the farm bill before the President’s Day Congressional recess that will run from February 18-22.

In addition, and equally important, the Bush administration has expressed the desire to pass the farm bill quickly.

Last month after much debate, the farm bill was pulled from further Senate action when many senators hesitated to accept the bill that had been passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Right now there is a new focus on the farm bill’s impact on trade policy. Concerns have been raised that the farm bill might provide too much money in crop subsidies and that this might possibly violate world trade rules.

The University of Missouri’s Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) projected a 30 percent chance that the Senate bill would exceed trade rules that limit spending on trade-distorting subsidies.

FAPRI also predicted that the House farm fill has a 33 percent chance of breaking spending limits within the next few years.

Those of us in the House will be carefully following Senate action on the farm bill debate, and I will have more to report in the weeks ahead.

CRP Contract Extensions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts that expire this year can be extended for another year.

The agriculture secretary believes this will help to continue safeguarding sensitive land while a new farm bill is being developed.

Producers enrolled in CRP receive rental payments and other financial incentives to remove lands from agricultural production for a period of ten to fifteen years.

On these idle lands, CRP participants may plant native grasses, trees, and other vegetation to improve water quality, soil, and wildlife habitat.

Local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices are currently contacting eligible CRP participants to inform them of their option to modify or extend their CRP contracts.

Participants with contracts expiring on September 30, 2002 have from January 14 to May 31, 2002 to apply for a one-year extension. The extension will not change participants’ rental rates.

All or a portion of the acreage under the current contract may be included in an extension, but no new acreage may be added. The original contract plus the extension must not exceed fifteen years.

Finally, obligations and responsibilities under the original contract will continue to apply to contracts that are modified or extended.

The USDA is not planning to offer a general CRP sign-up in fiscal year 2002, however.
Producers may continue to enroll relatively small, highly desirable acreage, such as filter strips and riparian buffers, into the continuous CRP at any time.

For additional information, contact the nearest FSA office.

Drought Monitor Information

Drought is a big concern for all of us, and now a collaboration of agencies, including the USDA, is offering the Drought Monitor.

This monitor will provide a quick and comprehensive visual representation of drought conditions in our area. You can sign-up to receive email alerts through the Internet.

Send an email to Dmsubscribe@ndmc.unl.edu, to let them know that you want the email alerts. Once subscribed, you will receive weekly emails that provide an update on current drought conditions.

Alternatively, you may access the Drought Monitor map directly by clicking onto http://www.drought.unl.edu/monitor/monitor.html.

4-H Centennial Anniversary

Last week marked the 100-year anniversary for 4-H. President Bush and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman joined with 4-H members from Texas and the Washington, DC area to officially inaugurate the event.

4-H provides a great way for youth to work cooperatively in their communities, as well as a way for them to develop leadership and technical skills.

Today, 4-H has 6.8 million members who are participating in such projects as the Citizenship and Civic Education Program, Communications and Expressive Arts Programs, Consumer and Family Sciences, Environmental Education and Earth Sciences, Healthy Lifestyle Education, Personal Development and Leadership, Plants and Animals, and Science and Technology.

4-H is a tremendous organization that has contributed so much to the American way of life and has enabled young people to grow into productive and responsible citizens.

Return to 2002 News