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WASHINGTON As the Senate works through partisan
differences in the economic stimulus package, the fate of the $170 billion
farm bill and emergency funds for growers and ranchers remains uncertain.
Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Friday that the economic
stimulus package and defense and energy bills would take precedence over
the farm bill. The Senate is considering new farm legislation that would
replace the Freedom to Farm Act that aims to phase out farm subsidies.
We need an agriculture bill, and we will get a bill before it expires
next year, but its a question of timing, Lott said at a news
conference.
Republicans in the Senate are threatening to filibuster the Democratic
bill. They say subsidies in the bill are too large and will result in
price-depressing surpluses for grain and other crops.
The Montana Farm Bureau and other farm-advocacy groups support the
Democrats bill and have been lobbying lawmakers to pass the legislation
before the end of the session.
Nancy Schlepp, national-affairs director for the Montana Farm Bureau, said
passage of the farm bill is a top legislative priority and a necessity for
Montana farmers who have been hit hard by drought and the economic
downturn.
This is critical, and so we have been on the phone every day with both
(Montana senators) ... working with them to see that this bill moves
forward, Schlepp said.
The $86-billion, five-year Democratic version of the farm bill includes an
estimated $38 billion for subsidies and $23 billion for conservation, in
addition to spending for forestry, energy, food stamps and other programs.
The House passed a 10-year, $170-billion farm bill last month. The
Democrats bill, extrapolated for 10 years, would reach about the same
spending level.
The White House and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman have warned that the
House bills over-dependency on subsidies would undermine prices.
Although the existing farm law does not expire until next fall, many
agriculture groups are concerned that less federal money will be available
next year for a comprehensive farm program and say that emergency funds
for farmers are needed immediately.
Without an adequate farm program in place this year, Congress will
again have to provide emergency economic assistance for farmers next
year, said Leland Swenson, president of the National Farmers Union.
If a farm bill is delayed another year ... producers will also face the
2003 planting season with little certainty, since most producers will make
planting decisions before the end of the year.
About $3 billion in emergency assistance for farmers in the Senate
Democrats version of the economic-stimulus package is also in question.
The stimulus package has been stalled in the Senate for weeks as party
leaders try to reach a compromise between tax cuts and spending.
The legislation authored by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., includes $1.8
billion for crop disaster assistance, $500 million for livestock
assistance, $12 million for the American Indian Livestock Feed program and
an estimated $220 million for agriculture commodity support for a variety
of products including grains and corn.
In earlier discussions with Republicans, Democrats, led by Finance
Committee Chairman Baucus, reduced agriculture funding in the stimulus
bill from $6 billion to $3 billion and cut funds for rural development
projects.
Previously, both Montana senators had vowed to vote against a final
stimulus package if emergency funds for farmers were not included. But
strict rules of debate and the need for compromise on the much-watched
legislation may prevent agriculture spending from being included in the
bill, Senate staff members said.
However, with Baucus as Finance Committee chairman, the Montana Farm
Bureau remains confident that some emergency funding will survive the
partisan process.
We know that this is controversial, but we also know that Baucus is
working hard on this and feel confident that he is doing everything he can
to keep this in the bill, Schlepp said.
The Senate is expected to move on to the substance of the bill this week.
The Senate has not set a date for consideration of the farm bill. |