WHILE TIME RUNS SHORT, CONFERENCE COMMITTEE EFFORTS CONTINUE While
the window of opportunity is closing rapidly, farm bill conferees continue
their somewhat uncertain path toward agreement on a farm bill.
There are several roadblocks to this path. One of the greatest of these
would simply be the number of issues that remain unresolved. The Senate’s
over 1300- page, 10-title farm bill must be integrated with the House’s
379-page, 9-title farm bill. While hundreds of minor issues have been
resolved, the sheer volume is not the greatest issue.
On Thursday, April 11, the farm bill conferees debated the issues that
would prohibit meatpackers from owning cattle or hogs within two weeks of
their slaughter. While the Senate continued their support of this
provision, the House conferees did not vote on the provision.
Thursday’s session also focused on the issue of emergency assistance
for farmers. The Baucus amendment that provides $2.5 billion in emergency
assistance was hotly debated in a discussion that deliberated on the
inclusion of the provision in the farm bill.
Chuck Connor, Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Trade
and Food Assistance joined the conferees. Mr. Connor made clear that the
Administration is not opposed to inclusion of the disaster funding if it
is included within the $73.5 billion Farm Bill budget. Chairman Combest
expressed concern about giving up money for an emergency, and expressed
concern that the conference report would not survive if there was an
emergency designation with a Point of Order waiving the budget constraint.
Rep. Collin Peterson defended the provision and explained that it was
critical for areas that had suffered a disaster. While Montana experienced
drought, he explained, areas of Minnesota have struggled with wet
conditions, and in some areas experienced a 65% prevented planting. He
pointed out that producers had fulfilled conservation requirements,
spending resources without income.
Senator Kent Conrad also defended the proposal for disaster assistance
in addition to the $73.5 budget provision, pointing out that it is the
obligation of government to assist in such disasters. However, it was
Chairman Larry Combest who reminded him that the higher loan rate and
lower fixed rate supported by Senator Conrad would have further failed
producers in the face of such a disaster.
Decisions relating to loan rates and target prices remain unresolved.
According to House Agriculture Committee Press Secretary John Haugen, the
Agriculture conference meeting scheduled for this morning (April 12) was
canceled as members continue to focus on the commodity title of the bill.
He added that Senate conferees are willing to compromise on loan rates
and on food stamps, but the divisions over the ban on packer ownership of
livestock and country of origin labeling remain unresolved.
The meeting scheduled for today is a private meeting, and the conferees
are expected to return to their public meeting schedule on Monday.
