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NAWG
SPEAKS OUT ON PROPOSED FARM BILL
November 02, 2001
Our wheat farmers are at a critical juncture. Like all
commodities, the wheat industry has experienced several years of depressed
commodity prices, rising production costs, shrinking shares of foreign
markets, and ongoing crop losses due to weather, insects and
disease. However, wheat farmers are unique in that we are even now
planting our last winter wheat crop under Freedom to Farm. We do not have
the luxury of delaying action on a new Farm Bill.
NAWG CEO, Daren Coppock says, “Our Agriculture Lenders are
increasingly nervous about committing themselves to farm loans in light of
an uncertain farm policy environment. We need these loans now for the
operating capital on our 2002 crop.”
He continued, “Our farmers are increasingly nervous about the
uncertain economic future. Their last crop is in the ground. With four
years of an ag crisis, we cannot afford to wait until September for a new
farm law.”
More importantly, this farm bill is not a new issue. This is the
culmination, not the beginning, of years of effort.
“Our farmers realized years ago that our current farm policy
provided an inadequate safety net in times of continued depressed prices.
We began working to shape a new farm policy that would provide all farmers
with the dependability, predictability, and security that they require
from federal farm programs,” stated Brian Sweatland, NAWG Director of
Environmental Policy.
Two years ago, NAWG entered into a process with the House
Agriculture Committee. The Committee, along with NAWG’s representatives,
began a lengthy, thorough, deliberative, and inclusive process of
developing a new farm bill. The bipartisan, consensus bill NAWG agreed to
is H.R. 2646, the Farm Security Act of 2001.
The Wheat Growers are still committed to passing a new Farm Law
this year, with H.R. 2646 serving as the foundation of our efforts in the
Senate.
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