Farm Bill Stalemate On Hold For Now
Many ag groups weigh in on last ditch effort to pass a Farm Bill, warning that there's work yet to be done
Janell Baum
Published: Jan 3, 2013
At the late-night news of a nine-month farm bill extension and two-month fiscal cliff deal, many farm groups filed mixed reactions. Some offered support for action on the long-stalled Farm Bill, while others showed increased concern for action on a five-year deal before the next deadline expires.
The farm bill extension, which was voted on and passed in both the Senate and House Tuesday, includes few provisions that were re-worked in the proposed 2012 Farm Bill, and rather extends 2008 policy that expired in September. The bill was included in a package to avoid the expiration of a series of tax cuts that many dubbed the "fiscal cliff."
Perhaps USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack summed up the sentiment of many: "I am pleased that Congress passed needed middle class tax relief," he said in statement Wednesday. "However, while I am relieved that the agreement reached prevents a spike in the price of dairy and other commodities, I am disappointed Congress has been unable to pass a multi-year reauthorization of the Food, Farm and Jobs bill."
Some say yea, others say nay: Fiscal cliff, Farm Bill deal met with criticism, concern.
Groups say it's got its flaws, but…
After the vote, a common theme among farm groups, as with Secretary Vilsack, was the glaring lack of disaster relief, continuation of direct payments, old milk policy and no funding for many USDA programs.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said the Farm Bill extension was little more than a "stop-gap measure," expressing disappointment that Congress was unable to achieve passage of a five-year bill.
"Now, it will be up to the new 113th Congress to put a new farm bill in place," Stallman said in a statement Wednesday, "and we will continue to insist on the kind of reforms that were included in the proposals approved by the Senate and the House Agriculture Committee during the 112th Congress."
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Tagged: farm bill, the farm bill, usda, 2012 Farm Bill, farm policy
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What Mr. Kozak fails to acknowledge in the news releases coming from NMPF is that a majority of dairy farmers did not understand the DSA at all, and those who did, and kept digging in the Bill's actual language were distress that margin insurance would have been accepted more readily if it had been decoupled from supply management. The language kept changing, even with the 78-page Extension posted on Saturday before the vote on Monday in the Senate. When NMPF can become more consistent, more truthful, and more transparent, then any reforms they propose may be met with wider grass-roots acceptance.
Anonymous on 1/3/2013 2:56:00 PM
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I AGREE WITH YOU WE ARE GOING TO PAY AND PAY I WISH ALL THE DAIRY FARMERS WOULD GET TOGETHER AND DO A PETITION ,FOR THEM TO COME OUT TO A DAIRY FARM AND DO EVERYTHING WE DO ON THE DAIRY. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY WILL KNOW HOW HARD ALL OF US WORK ON THE DAIRY. THEY WILL SEE WE DO NOT MAKE MONEY,LIKE THEY THINK . THEY WILL SEE WE KEEP GOING IN THE HOLE.ALL OF THESE SMALL DAIRY FARMS IS HAVING TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS CAUSE WHEN YOU GET THE PAYCHECK AND YOU MIGHT PAY FOR ONE FEED BILL . WELL HOW DO THEY EXPECT US TO STAY IN BUSINESS AND A LOT OF US THAT IS ALL WE KNOW CAUSE OUR FAMILIES FOR MANY GENERATIONS DID IT AND HOW WOULD THEY FEEL IF IT WAS THEIR FARMS AND BEEN IN THEIR FAMILIES FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND THEY WAS HAVING TO SELL EVERYTHING THAT THEY WORKED SO HARD FOR ALL THESE YEARS . IF EVERYONE WOULD LOOK BACK IN THE 70"S AND SEE HOW THINGS WAS AND GET IT BACK LIKE IT WAS ALL OF US WOULD DO BETTER . IT IS BREAKING MY HEART CAUSE ALL OF US ARE LOSING EVERYTHING WE GOT.THAT IS WHY I CHALLENGE THEM TO COME AND DO WHAT WE DO 24-7 FOR ONE WEEK,AND SEE WHAT THEY THINK THEN WOULD LIKE TO HEAR REPLIES TO THIS THANK YOU
kitty on 1/5/2013 11:33:00 AM
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It sounds to me like Agriculture just gave up any leaverage that it had with the American people. What a great loss and mistake by Agriculture Leadership. Bob Stallman and Mr. Kozack should be fired or at least have thier leadership under close scrutiny. No other group in the USA attempted to wedge their agendas into the fight we are now in because the probably correctly said to themselves....this is bigger than us. Not the Arrogant Stallman and Kozack....no they deemed it LEADERSHIP to take a proactive stance and now everyone who is affected by the farm bill will pay....and pay....and pay. Especially those of us in the Dairy sector!
Tom on 1/4/2013 4:53:00 AM
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Absolutely, positively without an ounce of doubt, embarrassing. Lets call a spade a spade and decouple the "farm bill" from the snap's 80 some percent of the bill! Agriculture should take the lead on this fiscal mess instead of being muddled into the middle of it!
Anonymous on 1/3/2013 8:46:00 AM
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