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Farm Bill Compromise Stalls
Congress returns after a two-week recess on March 31, no closer to rapping-up their work on a new Farm Bill before the April 18 deadline. Progress has ground to a halt on a new farm bill over additional monies requested by Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin for disaster assistance, conservation and rural development. Since the departure of former Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, a lack of any meaningful negotiations with Congress and the administration have failed to produce consensus to pass a new farm bill, and could extend the current bill until the next administration enters office.
Harkin has proposed an additional $10 billion added to the farm bill over the next ten years, and in the face of administrations objectives for what the President has already said was to expensive. Harkin said, “This is a strong framework that allocates funding across the full spectrum of farm bill needs – renewable energy, nutrition, conservation, rural development, disaster assistance and other major areas.” Where the Finance and Budget committees find the dollars to offset the proposed increase is anyone’s guess at this point. The President has already stated his support for an extension of the current act if the current proposal can not be worked out.
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Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
1233 Lincoln Mall, Suite 200
Lincoln. NE 68508
Phone: 402-476-6174
Fax: 402-476-3401
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