Agricultural News
Frank Lucas Talks Farm Bill Hopes and Dreams at the 2017 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention
Sat, 11 Nov 2017 13:36:49
Oklahoma third district Congressman Frank Lucas told the Opening General Session of the 2017 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention that he is hopeful that a farm bill can be written in the early days of 2018- which would follow the measure that he oversaw as the Chairman of the House Ag Committee in 2013-14. He told the general farm organization that a high priority for him is to get federal farm safety net help for cotton producers in the 2018 policy update, which may mean cottonseed might become a farm program crop in Title One.
Just ahead of his presentation to the Farm Bureau, Congressman Lucas talked about his hopes on the Farm Bill debate with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays- and he believes that the first quarter of 2018 is a realistic timeframe to get a farm bill moving through the Committee and then onto the floor of the House.
Lucas tells Hays any changes to current policy really boils down to how many dollars Chairman Conaway and the Committee will have to work with. Lucas says the two primary areas to be built with is helping bring cotton farmers under the federal farm safety net umbrella- and to help the dairy farmers as well. He also mentions that there will be a discussion, because of ranking member Colin Peterson about the possibility of adding acres back into the CRP. He also says there are those that want to tweek ARC and PLC provisions a bit.
Lucas also tells Hays that Chairman Conaway is writing the 2018 Farm Bill when farm gate prices are lower compared to 2013-14- and that means "unlike the previous farm bill, when things were so good and so many different regions and commodity groups wanted to go their own way- didn't think they would ever need another comprehensive farm bill- everyone knows now- remembers now- why you need a farm bill when wheat is $3.10- $3.20 and who knows what corn will be when all the bushels are counted after harvest."
Lucas also talked with Hays about his Conservation Title hopes and dreams- and he expressed gratefullness about Dr. Bart Fischer of southwestern Oklahoma overseeing a lot of the economics of the next farm bill as Chief Economist of the House Ag Committee.
You can listen to Ron Hays talk with Congressman Lucas about his farm bill thoughts- click on the LISTEN BAR below.
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