Senate approves Farm Bill without questionable reforms
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

The U.S. Senate passed the Farm Bill by a vote of 79-14 Friday, beating back reformers who wanted major changes in crop subsidies and the federal crop insurance program.

The bill actually increases subsidies for wheat, barley, oat, soybeans and several other crops and creates new grants for vegetable and fruit growers. It also boosts loan rates for sugar producers, extends dairy programs and provides more dollars for renewable energy and conservation programs to protect environmentally sensitive farmland in the next five years.

The Senate's version of the $286 billion bill will now head to conference committee where House and Senate conferees will work out differences between the two versions, but that process is not expected to get under way until after the holiday break.

"We are pleased that the Senate has reached another milestone in their attempt to provide another Farm Bill," Texas Farm Bureau Legislative Director Steve Pringle said. "Fortunately, the Senate bill continues many of the programs that have been so successful in the 2002 bill. We look forward to the conference committee concluding their deliberations in early 2008 so that farmers and ranchers in Texas will have a definite direction for a farm bill as they prepare for their 2008 crops."

The Senate bill was not passed without serious challenges, among them a series of Senate amendments proposed during the last several months including:

• An amendment advanced by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) to lower farm program payment limits - rejected Dec. 13 in 56-43 vote (farm bill amendments required a 60-vote majority for passage);

• Sen. Amy Klobuchar's (D-MN) proposal to lower the adjusted gross income amount for farm program eligibility - rejected Dec. 13 in a 48-47 vote; and

• An amendment sponsored by Sens. Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) that would have crippled the Senate farm bill's commodity title safety net was rejected Dec. 11 in a 58 to 37 vote.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman, a Columbus, Texas rice farmer and cattleman, commended lawmakers for their work.

"This legislation contains important provisions for all sectors of agriculture, including expanded marketing programs to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables, incentives for beginning farmers and ranchers and provisions to promote the production of home-grown renewable fuels," Stallman said.

"The bill also meets the needs of more of America's farmers by providing new funding for specialty crop research, conservation and pest and disease programs.

"The farm bill benefits all Americans with important programs for nutrition, conservation, energy security and support for rural communities," he added. "In doing so, the bill supports the production of our nation's food and fiber staples and it preserves a way of life that benefits all of American society."

Texas senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), voted in favor of the Senate's version of the bill.

"Passage of this bill is an important step forward for Texas farmers and ranchers," Cornyn said. "I was encouraged that we protected family farms in Texas by preventing cuts to programs important to their livelihood."

No timetable has yet been offered on conference committee meetings, but lawmakers have said they will pick up the issue as soon as the Christmas break concludes. After meeting committee approval, the bill will still need presidential approval.

President Bush has threatened to veto the legislation, saying it costs too much and should instead be cutting subsidies at a time of record-high crop prices. He also has threatened to veto the House version passed in July.