Agricultural News
Chairman Lucas Optimistic Gaps can be Bridged in Farm Bill Discussions
Wed, 04 Dec 2013 03:57:24 CST
Time is drawing perilously short for the passage of the 2013 Farm Bill before the end of the year. Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas says there certainly is a sense of urgency on his part and the four principle members of the Senate and House agriculture committees are due to meet Wednesday. He tells Mike Hergert of the Red River Farm Network that House members have made a number of proposals to break the logjam and he hopes his Senate colleagues will come to the meeting with some ideas of their own.
"I would anticipate in response to a number of suggestions that the House has made, I would hope that the Senate would have some suggestions back so that we can keep moving in that direction of narrowing down the choices and ultimately getting to some final policy decisions."
Lucas said the major sticking points revolve around three areas including nutrition, dairy and the commodity title. He said he believes the conferees are closing the gap in their differences on the nutrition title, but the path forward in regards to dairy and commodities is not as clear.
"You still have some philosophical differences in dairy-will there or will there not be supply management in the new proposed program. How long will that supply management be in place? I look forward to see what kind of suggestions will be offered by the other body in that regard.
"And, then, ultimately, when you get back to the commodity title the underlying question of how do you determine what acres can participate. Is it, as the Senate started with, the historic base on planted acres? Is it, as the Senate went to, using planted acres? Is it, as the House suggested, planted acres up to base? Just where do we come down on this?
"The Senate, at last discussion, was very focused on using historic base. I think, from a House perspective, my economist and I agree we can make that work. We can make planted acres up to base work, but that is one of those issues that is critically important to how the safety net functions and that's one of the things I hope to accomplish tomorrow is the firm decision about which way do we go."
Lucas also talked about how important getting the safety net right. He highlighted the EPA's decision to reduce the mandate for ethanol next year in its Renewable Fuel Standard. That decision has thrown corn markets into a tailspin and sends conflicting signals to farmers.
Lucas said he thinks it is still possible to bridge the gap in all three areas of concern before the Christmas recess.
"It requires that my colleagues and I-and, ultimately, a consensus of the conference committee members, of course-agree. But, we can. It's just so far that good folks with good intentions have some different policy perspectives. But, ultimately, Mike, we have to have a farm bill. There has to be a safety net that will work for production agriculture. There has to be a safety net that will protect the folks on the other side of the spectrum-the consumers. It has to be done in a way that saves money in all areas. It has to be done in a way that the House will ultimately pass the conference committee's report, the Senate will pass it and the President will sign it."
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