Time to Start Shaping 2012 Farm Bill

Interested parties are already weighing in on how to shape the next Farm Bill. American Farm Bureau Federation’s Johnna Miller reports…

2012 may seem like a long way off, but believe it or not, people involved in agriculture are already turning their focus to the next Farm Bill, due in 2012. American Farm Bureau President, Bob Stallman, talked about the legislation’s importance in testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee…
"most farmers, in most states, in some way or another rely on the safety net provided by the 2008 Farm Bill.”

Despite its importance the Bill faces some tough debate:
“We know we will face many challenges in writing the 2012 Farm Bill, including the budget, environment and the need to balance the interests of a multitude of players.”

And it’s easy for issues like size, region, and commodity to cause division, especially in the current economic environment, that’s why Stallman says his organization has outlined five general principles for a Farm Bill proposal:

1. the options we support with be fiscally responsible,
2. the basic funding structure of the 2008 Farm Bill will not be altered, in other words, money will not be shifted from one title of the farm bill to another,
3. the proposals we support will aim to benefit all the agricultural sectors,
4. world trade rulings will be considered, and
5. consideration will be given to the stable business environment that is critical to the success in agriculture.”

Biofuel Tax Credit & Lifting of Cuban Trade Embargo NOT Discussed at 2012 Farm Bill Hearing

On Monday, Congressman Mike McIntyre hosted a 2012 Farm Bill hearing in Fayetteville. Afterwards he and I discussed what was missing from the hearing, and one glaring omission was the hotly debated biofuel tax credit:
 

Well, we had the directors of the North Carolina Biofuels Centers here, and I guess with the limited time it just happened to not come up, but, that’s why we leave the record open. I’m encouraging additional material to be sent in within 10 days, but technically we have 30 days, so no later than July 28, and we may have some additional comments on that. And that’s an excellent point, and that’s one thing we need to know about from their perspective to see what works, and what doesn’t work.”
 

The three pending FTA’s were mentioned here, and I notice another thing that was missing here, possibly because of a time restraint, and that’s opening up agricultural trade with Cuba…
 

“That’s true, and that has been an issue that has gone back and forth because there’s so man other things that are ancillary to that debate that go beyond just the agricultural issue. And that’s going to be something that’s going to be hotly debated as it goes forward and for those who are concerned about that I would encourage them to go to our website and post any comments they want, because now’s the time we would rather hear now than later they say ‘why didn’t they discuss it’, or ‘I had an idea’, or ‘I had a solution’ ….www.agriculture.house.gov.
 

I understand that there’s a markup scheduled on the Cuba situation this week?
 

“That’s the plan now, I’m waiting to find out as I get back to Washington, literally tonight, if that is still what’s on the schedule. The schedule is constantly evolving now that we’re on the eve of the 4th of July recess. But, for sure, it will probably be coming up in the next few weeks….this summer.”
 

Do you have any anticipation as to how that might go?
 

“Not yet, I think it will be close, because of the fact that there are so many political and historical concerns that go beyond the pail of agricultural issues. But, I’d say the jury is still out on that one right now.”
Okay, is there anything you’d like to add, Congressman?
“I think it’s a tremendous tribute to North Carolina to have a standing only crowd today, we literally had to bring in more chairs. Agriculture has been at the mainstay of North Carolina economy since colonial times. But, even in the ever evolving, changing economy in the world we live in, it’s interesting that it comes round, fully circle because it comes right back that our having the world’s safest, and thank the Lord the most abundant supply of food and fiber, and gives us an opportunity to say, whether it’s national security, whether it’s economic opportunity, or whether it’s an area like the evolving biotechnology…agriculture is still at the core of great civilizations, and still at the core of who we are as Americans.
 

And beyond that, when we look at the new ground-breaking technology in broadband access, opportunities in telemedicine, for small business, for rural health clinics and hospitals, and for the opportunity for just families to improve the quality of their lives.
 

This is the great networking opportunity to open up new avenues of possibilities for families, for healthcare, for education, for business, in every way agriculture, and rural economic development are at the forefront of just how strong America will be.”
 

More Stories