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Farmers say they'd just as soon keep old farm bill Tuesday, July 25, 2006
By Ryan Wendland
news@agrinews.com
MARSHALL, Minn. -- Grain producers who took part in a Farm Bill hearing Saturday were nearly unanimous -- keep the 2002 farm bill intact.
However, members of the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee suggested that the 2007 farm bill will be leaner then the current bill.
While the 2002 farm bill passed during a time of government surplus, the upcoming bill will be hashed out during deficits.
"We have to be mindful of the fact that we are going to be under tight budgetary concerns," said chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.
Goodlatte asked the first panel of witnesses made up primarily of grain producers to rate the three current payment programs.
Ron Obermoller, a corn and soybean producer from Brewster, said the 2002 bill is the most popular farm bill in history.
"If it's not broke don't fix it," Obermoller said. "Take away this farm bill and you take away the farmer's ability to invest. If you take away the farmer's ability to invest, you lose jobs in rural areas."
One of those areas of investment, which Ranking Minority Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota said was important to the new farm bill, is renewable energy.
"This is the biggest opportunity we have had in agriculture for the last 100 years," Peterson said.
Peterson and Minnesota Rep. Gil Gutknecht said the new bill should include an energy title. However, the second panel of witnesses that included various livestock producers voiced concern that the influx of more than two dozen ethanol plants scheduled to go online during the next year could increase feed prices.
"I think it would be a good idea to have a reserve program not only for the livestock producers, but also for the ethanol plant," Peterson said.
"I think energy is going to be an important part of the next farm bill," Gutknecht said.
Livestock producers stressed the fact that they need a "level playing field," when it comes to trade agreements. Grain producers said there is a need for a permanent crop loss program or permanent disaster relief program in the legislation. |
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