Just in from Washington

House Plans Vote on One-year Farm Bill Extension

Washington--The House is planning to vote this week on a one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill that will be combined with an extension of disaster aid for livestock producers. 

Although members of the House Agriculture Committee overall are reportedly resistant to the idea of a one-year extension, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), ranking member on the committee, has said he would support it because it could be the catalyst for a House-Senate conference committee on a larger bill. 

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), chairman of the House Ag Committee, is in favor of the extension of the bill because it would provide certainty to livestock producers and address the drought that is affecting most of the U.S. Lucas is still pushing for consideration by the House of the farm bill approved by his committee in mid-July. A one-year extension of the current farm bill also has the support of Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

The text of the farm bill extension is posted to the House Rules Committee website. The legislation extends several programs that expired in 2011 including the Livestock Indemnity Payments; Livestock Forage Disaster Programs; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish; and the Tree Assistance Program. The bill calls for capping of payments on some environmental programs and a reduction in some direct payments to crop farmers.