Agricultural News
Farm Bureau Members Set to Begin Working with Legislators on New Farm Bill
Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:02:15 CST
Now that the debate over the 'fiscal cliff' is over and Congress has passed a one year extension to the 2008 Farm Bill, Mike Spradling, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, says his members will begin the process of working with legislators on crafting a new farm bill. He recently spoke with Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays about how they will proceed.
"I don't know that there's going to be too many changes. The main things we're going to continue to push for are the crop insurance programs, the crop protection. Price protection and support, things of that nature, risk management, those things are all important. Certainly, we realize that here in the state of Oklahoma. We've had two years of severe drought. Of course we'd like to see a disaster part of the farm bill and put permanent disaster in it as well instead of ad hoc. That didn't happen this time so there are some things we can continue to work on."
Spradling said that while the agricultural sector would much rather have seen the 2012 Farm Bill passed and signed into law, the fiscal cliff deal did give farmers and ranchers some of what they wanted regarding the estate tax issue.
"We are excited about that. It does take that off the table for us. We worked hard and diligently both in Oklahoma and American Farm Bureau for years. Certainly we wanted a complete repeal. But this compromise with five million per person is something we can live with. The only part we're really disappointed with is that the rate went up from 35 to 40 percent. But, then again, all in all, we feel that with the environment in Congress at this point in time with the deficits we were very fortunate to get that."
Spradling said the upcoming American Farm Bureau convention in Nashville will give delegates a chance to continue working on several issues that they hope to see action on very soon in Congress. He said water issues, environmental concerns, and immigration policies are all areas where Farm Bureau members will be working to inform lawmakers of their importance to farmers and ranchers.
He said he is also pleased that Oklahoma will be well represented and will stand out at the convention with the assistance of wheat growers.
"The Wheat Growers Association is going to be a part of our convention. They travel with us almost every year going to the American Farm Bureau convention. One of the most popular events at our trade show is the bread booth from Oklahoma. Not only do the delegates all across the nation know that Oklahoma is there, they smell us there as well. They know that even before they get into the convention hall that Oklahoma is there because you can smell that fresh aroma of hot bread and cinnamon rolls all across the convention center in the early morning."
You can hear the full interview with Mike Spradling by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below. Spradling will also appear with Ron Hays on this weekend's "In the Field" segment on News 9. "In the Field" airs about 6:40 a.m. Saturday morning.
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