Farm Bureau Calls on Congress to Finish Farm Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 19, 2002 – American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman today urged House and Senate farm bill conferees to immediately resolve their differences and complete work on the farm bill in time for the 2002 crop season.

"Spring planting season is upon us," Stallman said. "Now is the time for the farm bill conferees to finish up their work on this key legislation. America's farmers and ranchers are counting on the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to come up with a farm bill that will help producers, the farm economy and the communities where we live."

In a letter to conferees, Stallman called on the representatives and senators to adopt key provisions of both the House- and Senate-passed measures.

He called for:

• Adoption of a House proposal offering fixed decoupled payments, loan rates, counter-cyclical programs and payment limits;
• Adoption of the Senate's proposal to fix loan rates in statute rather than allow them to fluctuate;
• Adoption of a plan to allow updated base acres and yields; and,
• Rejection of a Senate proposal to allow land into the Conservation Reserve Program in exchange for water leases.

The farm leader said passage of a new farm bill is the only viable option for American agriculture. He said budget pressures that may lead to less money for a farm bill next year and the uncertainty tied to yet another emergency farm assistance package is "not in the best interest" of producers.

"America's farmers and ranchers have already waited too long in a period of uncertainty -- many of our lenders won't even approve production loans until the farm bill is enacted," Stallman said. "We urge immediate completion of the farm bill and its implementation for the 2002 crop year."

Contacts:

Don Lipton 202-484-3624 donl@fb.org

Dave Lane (202) 484-3610 davel@fb.org

This page was last modified Fri Apr 19, 2002 at 06:38 pm