Farm bill reactions reveal details of bill
February 07, 2014 | 06:07 AM
Did you know that the farm bill conference report contains a pilot project at the Agriculture Department for frozen fruits and vegetables in the school meals program?
Or that it removes term limits on USDA-guaranteed farm operating loans?
And that there are still differences among Republican senators from farm states over the philosophy behind the bill?
These are only a few of the revelations about the farm bill from statements and reactions by public officials and a wide range of groups to the Senate’s passage of the conference report on Tuesday.
Here are highlights of the reactions.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. — “This is not your father’s farm bill. It’s a new direction for American agriculture policy. Major reforms will be implemented and direct payments will finally come to an end. The bill supports the transition Americans are already making to a healthier, more locally based food system. This is also one of the largest investments in land and water conservation we’ve made in many years.”
Senate Agriculture ranking member Thad Cochran, R-Miss. — Said the bill will help the nearly third of all jobs in Mississippi linked to agriculture and forestry, which generated more than $7.3 billion in 2013 and makes up more than 20 percent of Mississippi's total economy.
Noted that the “Catfish Inspection program, authorized in the 2008 farm bill, is clarified to clear the way for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement a food safety inspection program that requires all producers and processors of catfish, at home and abroad, to abide by the same food safety standards.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio — “The farm bill is more than just a long-term policy on agriculture; it’s a jobs bill; it’s a food and nutrition bill; it’s an investment in rural communities, and it provides certainty for American farmers and producers.”
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. — He is “pleased with the options this bill offers to protect producers in times of need” and "with the language in this bill that re-links conservation compliance to crop insurance as well as streamlines and strengthens conservation programs to protect land, water, and wildlife for future generations.”
Chambliss, who is not running for re-election, added, “This is my fourth and final farm bill as a member of Congress. ... As a former chairman and ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am proud of this bill and previous farm bills I have had the privilege to be a part of. I believe this legislation is vitally important to the farmers, ranchers and consumers of Georgia, as well as those across this great nation, and there is no single piece of legislation that impacts as many people in my state as this one.”
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. — Said parts of the farm bill important to Delaware are a provision he and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark. wrote to prioritize USDA research on poultry feed; a provision he, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and other Mid-Atlantic senators wrote to make resources available for the protection of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and Stabenow's provisions to expand bio-based manufacturing.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. — Called the bill “a big win” for California farmers and consumers and said that even the small cut to the food stamp program was a hard-fought compromise because the House wanted a much bigger cut.
“I am especially pleased the final bill does not include the so-called ‘King Amendment.’ This destructive amendment would have overturned a wide range of California state laws that safeguard agricultural products. Not only was this amendment an attack on our state’s $44.7 billion agriculture sector, it also threatened the health and safety of all Californians. It was a dangerous policy, and I’m glad it was defeated.”
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. — Said he was particularly pleased by the preservation of the sugar program and the energy and beginning farmer programs.
Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., a former Agriculture secretary — “I would have preferred stronger payment limits and a movement away from target prices, but progress was made on those fronts. Progress was also made to reform and streamline conservation programs, something I backed as secretary, and to end direct payments that paid farmers no matter what.”
Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D. — “With today’s vote, we finally have programs and funding in place to help ranchers hit by the Atlas blizzard.”
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. — Said the bill contains many of his priorities, including extending Payments in Lieu of Taxes through 2014, permanent livestock disaster assistance programs, support for beginning farmers and ranchers, and savings of $23 billion and provisions to protect prime hunting and fishing habitat.
Tester also noted that he “led efforts to preserve strong country-of-origin labeling rules in the bill, helping consumers know where meat was born, raised and processed and giving them the option to buy U.S.-made meat if they choose.”
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa (Voted against the conference report) — Said he understands that farmers need the certainty of a five-year bill, but “I’m extremely disappointed that my provisions to place a hard cap on farm payments and better define who can receive those payments were stripped down to such a great extent that they likely won’t have much effect. Unfortunately, a few members of the House and Senate placed parochial interests above the broader good for the agricultural community.”
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. (Voted against the last version of the bill on the Senate floor, did not sign the conference report as a conferee and voted against the conference report) — “Unfortunately, I believe that Congress has missed the mark, and that the conference report goes backwards towards protectionist subsidy programs, instead of forward with innovative and responsible solutions.”
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla. — “I am pleased the Senate passed the conference report and put us another step closer to enacting a new farm bill. I commend Chairwoman Stabenow and ranking member [Thad] Cochran [R-Miss.] on their efforts throughout this process. We worked together to give certainty and sound policy to our agricultural producers; deliver taxpayers billions of dollars in savings; and provide consumers the affordable and reliable food supply they have grown accustomed to.”
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson D-Minn. — “The Senate today showed that it is possible to work together and actually get something done in Washington. Just as the House did last week, the Senate approved the 2014 farm bill with strong, bipartisan support, providing farmers and ranchers with a strong safety net and the certainty they need for the next five years. I commend Chairwoman Stabenow and ranking member Cochran for their unwavering support and urge the president to quickly sign the bill into law.”
American Farm Bureau Federation — Said the bill will provide certainty to farmers and ranchers to make planting and farm business decisions. “We are particularly pleased with provisions in the bill to provide risk management to fruit and vegetable farmers and to support livestock farmers during disasters.”
The National Grange — “It may be two years past due, but we’re thrilled to finally see a real farm bill passed into law today. America’s farmers and ranchers have had to operate their businesses on guesses and assumptions for the last two years but today, they’re finally getting the stability and predictability that only a strong farm bill can provide.”
National Milk Producers Federation (Represents dairy farmers) — “We didn’t wind up precisely where we wanted in terms of the dairy program, but the milk glass is more than half-full. The new farm bill replaces three outmoded programs intended to help farmers — but that often failed in that effort. In their place is a new, more modern, and more comprehensive margin protection program offering dairy producers a far better and more effective safety net. Because it is designed to protect against periods of both low milk prices as well as high feed costs, margin insurance is a better risk management tool to help farmers deal with the global volatility in commodity prices in the 21st century.”
National Corn Growers Association — Said the bill “eliminates controversial direct payments while maintaining decoupled farm support programs that will minimize the possibility of planting and production distortions that could trigger new World Trade Organization challenges ... While it’s not perfect, we’re pleased to see the bill contains many provisions we’ve been working hard for over the years.”
American Sugar Alliance (Represents beet and cane growers) — “The sugar policy in this bill will be essential to cane and beet farmers who are dealing with the dual threat of increasing foreign subsidies and falling sugar prices. Bottom line, the 2014 farm bill will help keep 142,000 U.S. sugar jobs in America where they belong.”
ASA also noted that attempts to change U.S. sugar policy failed in five separate recorded votes during the farm bill process.
National Cotton Council — Said it appreciates the “authorization of a new crop insurance product tailored to cotton production and the inclusion of a transition program for the 2014 crop year as enactment comes too late for USDA and the private sector to offer the new insurance product until 2015.”
But NCC also reiterated industry concerns over inclusion of instructions to the Agriculture secretary to propose changes in the management and labor criteria used to determine eligibility for commodity programs, which begins in 2015, and the further reduction in the adjusted gross income eligibility test, effective in 2014. The re-imposition of limitations on marketing loan benefits could disrupt orderly marketing in times of low prices, the group said.
American Soybean Association — “We’ve invested a great deal of time and energy in this bill, and the final product represents a true compromise that will benefit many crops, regions and aspects of American agriculture.”
The group also noted that, while it eliminates direct payments, the bill includes a choice between a revenue program that covers both price and yield losses with county and farm level options, and a price support program which allows the optional purchase of insurance coverage under a supplemental coverage option. ASA also praised research, export promotion and energy programs.
U.S. Apple Association — “This is a great victory for the apple industry since the specialty crop research initiative and the clean plant network — both top USApple priorities — lost funding under the latest extension because they did not have a ‘baseline.’ ”
American Olive Oil Association — Noted that the bill’s report language urges the Agriculture Department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Food and Drug Administration to study whether a marketing order for olive oil would address concerns about olive oil fraud.
U.S. Cattlemen’s Association — Noted that it had opposed changes to country-of-origin labeling for red meat, but also said, “Given the catastrophic winter storm Atlas and the ongoing drought across California and the West, the livestock disaster provisions within this bill will provide necessary assistance to many states currently looking to recover from these weather-related disasters. The implementation of these programs under a 10-year baseline, versus the ad hoc temporary funding used previously, will provide assurance to those affected and for the industry in years to come.”
United Fresh Produce Association — “The bill, on which Congress started having hearings in 2010, provides nearly $4 billion in funding for programs that benefit specialty crop production, including fresh produce. The funding amounts and policies encompassed in the bill reflect specialty crop priorities for block grants, research, pest and disease mitigation, nutrition and trade. … But even though the overall bill took many unexpected twists and turns, one thing was consistent: strong, bipartisan support in the House and Senate for fresh fruit and vegetable policies.”
The American Frozen Food Institute — “The bill expands USDA’s fresh fruit and vegetable program to include a new one-year, $5 million pilot program that allows elementary schools in five states to test the efficacy of serving canned, dried and frozen fruits and vegetables as snacks to low-income school children during the 2014-2015 school year.”
Current USDA snack programs require the use of fresh fruits and vegetables, but AFFI said, “Findings from the USDA-administered pilot program will enable Congress to consider the benefits of permanently expanding the USDA program to include all forms of fruits and vegetables — including frozen — during next year’s reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.”
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (National coalition representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products) — “The farm bill conference report includes an overall increase in investment of 55 percent over 2008 farm bill funding levels in critical specialty crop initiatives and programs, including the state block grant program, specialty research initiative, a new fruit and vegetable incentive grant program for SNAP recipients, the pest and disease prevention program along with maintaining funding in the market access program and the fresh fruit and vegetable program.”
Organic Trade Association — Said the conference report allows “organic farmers, distributors, and marketers access to the same agriculture research and promotion programs available to conventional farmers by authorizing USDA to consider an application from the organic sector for its own check-off program, as well as clarifying that the current exemption from conventional check-off programs applies to all certified organic operations. In addition, it provides increased funding for the National Organic Program to enforce organic standards, improve technology, and negotiate international trade agreements, as well as funding for organic research, data collection, and certification cost share.”
American Feed Industry Association (Represents the animal feed industry and its suppliers) — “Rests satisfied this Congress will dedicate more than $600 million in mandatory funding to vital basic and applied animal health and disease research, as well a crop protection, beginning farmer and various USDA research programs.” Said it was “pleased to see the inclusion of the new public/private matching funds research initiative” and that the Agriculture Department “will no longer use feed assistance as a means to rid of surplus commodities.”
American Forest Foundation — Said the bill will provide more access to markets for forests and will reward landowners who “the next step in conservation” through the Conservation Stewardship Program.
Ducks Unlimited — Noted that the bill “includes the conservation and sporting community’s top priorities of re-coupling conservation compliance to crop insurance and the sod-saver program affecting the top duck producing states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.”
National Wildlife Federation — “With so many competing interests, it is a huge victory for wildlife that the conservation of our nation’s natural resources was prioritized and included in the final bill. By re-linking conservation compliance to crop insurance, funding key conservation programs, and including a sod-saver provision in key states to protect grasslands, this bill will help wildlife from across our prairies to our oceans.”
Nature Conservancy — “This farm bill is one of the strongest ever for conservation and forestry.”
Izaak Walton League of America — Said the bill will safeguard the nation’s natural resources “with a requirement that farmers who receive crop insurance premium subsidies — currently $9 billion in annual taxpayer support — adopt basic conservation practices. Known as ‘conservation compliance,’ this compact between farmers and taxpayers requires that producers farming erosion-prone land develop conservation plans to reduce soil loss. It also prohibits new wetland drainage. Conservation compliance has saved nearly 300 million tons of soil annually and protected millions of acres of wetlands since Congress included this requirement in the 1985 farm bill.”
Western Organization of Resource Councils (Regional network of conservationists and family farmers and ranchers) — Praised Congress for leaving out proposals that would have rolled back the country-of origin labeling (COOL) program and limited the authority of the Agriculture Department to address what the group called “fraudulent, deceptive and retaliatory business practices of meatpackers.”
Biotechnology Industry Organization — Said the bill opens energy programs to renewable chemical technologies, that renewal of the biorefinery assistance program provides certainty for investors in the renewable chemicals and bio-based manufacturing sector and that renewed funding for the biomass crop assistance program creates “a path to insure purpose-grown energy crops against disaster.”
American Association of Crop Insurers, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau and National Crop Insurance Services — In a joint statement said, “We congratulate the Senate on its swift passage of the farm bill and know that America’s farmers appreciate the certainty it provides by ensuring a strong crop insurance policy.”
Independent Community Bankers Association — “In particular, ICBA appreciates provisions of the act to strengthen crop and revenue insurance programs and to remove term limits on USDA guaranteed farm operating loans, among other federal policies important to rural America.”
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (Now headed by former Rep. Joanne Emerson, R-Mo. — “Cooperatives serve 93 percent of the nation’s ‘persistent poverty counties’ and see first-hand the need for the rural economic development programs contained in this bill.”
NRECA added that it looks forward to a partnership with the Rural Utilities Service to improve rural electricity delivery and that appreciates the RUS provisions to expand cooperatives’ ability to make low-interest efficiency loans to consumer-members to help reduce their energy costs and consumption.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law — Said it “is disappointed in the reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” The Lawyers Committee took the position, it said, because its principal mission “is to secure equal justice for all through the rule of law, targeting in particular the inequities confronting racial minorities and cuts to SNAP will disproportionately hurt low-income minority citizens and women.”
Or that it removes term limits on USDA-guaranteed farm operating loans?
And that there are still differences among Republican senators from farm states over the philosophy behind the bill?
These are only a few of the revelations about the farm bill from statements and reactions by public officials and a wide range of groups to the Senate’s passage of the conference report on Tuesday.
Here are highlights of the reactions.
Senators
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. — “This is not your father’s farm bill. It’s a new direction for American agriculture policy. Major reforms will be implemented and direct payments will finally come to an end. The bill supports the transition Americans are already making to a healthier, more locally based food system. This is also one of the largest investments in land and water conservation we’ve made in many years.”
Senate Agriculture ranking member Thad Cochran, R-Miss. — Said the bill will help the nearly third of all jobs in Mississippi linked to agriculture and forestry, which generated more than $7.3 billion in 2013 and makes up more than 20 percent of Mississippi's total economy.
Noted that the “Catfish Inspection program, authorized in the 2008 farm bill, is clarified to clear the way for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement a food safety inspection program that requires all producers and processors of catfish, at home and abroad, to abide by the same food safety standards.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio — “The farm bill is more than just a long-term policy on agriculture; it’s a jobs bill; it’s a food and nutrition bill; it’s an investment in rural communities, and it provides certainty for American farmers and producers.”
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. — He is “pleased with the options this bill offers to protect producers in times of need” and "with the language in this bill that re-links conservation compliance to crop insurance as well as streamlines and strengthens conservation programs to protect land, water, and wildlife for future generations.”
Chambliss, who is not running for re-election, added, “This is my fourth and final farm bill as a member of Congress. ... As a former chairman and ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am proud of this bill and previous farm bills I have had the privilege to be a part of. I believe this legislation is vitally important to the farmers, ranchers and consumers of Georgia, as well as those across this great nation, and there is no single piece of legislation that impacts as many people in my state as this one.”
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. — Said parts of the farm bill important to Delaware are a provision he and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark. wrote to prioritize USDA research on poultry feed; a provision he, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and other Mid-Atlantic senators wrote to make resources available for the protection of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and Stabenow's provisions to expand bio-based manufacturing.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. — Called the bill “a big win” for California farmers and consumers and said that even the small cut to the food stamp program was a hard-fought compromise because the House wanted a much bigger cut.
“I am especially pleased the final bill does not include the so-called ‘King Amendment.’ This destructive amendment would have overturned a wide range of California state laws that safeguard agricultural products. Not only was this amendment an attack on our state’s $44.7 billion agriculture sector, it also threatened the health and safety of all Californians. It was a dangerous policy, and I’m glad it was defeated.”
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. — Said he was particularly pleased by the preservation of the sugar program and the energy and beginning farmer programs.
Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., a former Agriculture secretary — “I would have preferred stronger payment limits and a movement away from target prices, but progress was made on those fronts. Progress was also made to reform and streamline conservation programs, something I backed as secretary, and to end direct payments that paid farmers no matter what.”
Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D. — “With today’s vote, we finally have programs and funding in place to help ranchers hit by the Atlas blizzard.”
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. — Said the bill contains many of his priorities, including extending Payments in Lieu of Taxes through 2014, permanent livestock disaster assistance programs, support for beginning farmers and ranchers, and savings of $23 billion and provisions to protect prime hunting and fishing habitat.
Tester also noted that he “led efforts to preserve strong country-of-origin labeling rules in the bill, helping consumers know where meat was born, raised and processed and giving them the option to buy U.S.-made meat if they choose.”
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa (Voted against the conference report) — Said he understands that farmers need the certainty of a five-year bill, but “I’m extremely disappointed that my provisions to place a hard cap on farm payments and better define who can receive those payments were stripped down to such a great extent that they likely won’t have much effect. Unfortunately, a few members of the House and Senate placed parochial interests above the broader good for the agricultural community.”
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. (Voted against the last version of the bill on the Senate floor, did not sign the conference report as a conferee and voted against the conference report) — “Unfortunately, I believe that Congress has missed the mark, and that the conference report goes backwards towards protectionist subsidy programs, instead of forward with innovative and responsible solutions.”
Representatives
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla. — “I am pleased the Senate passed the conference report and put us another step closer to enacting a new farm bill. I commend Chairwoman Stabenow and ranking member [Thad] Cochran [R-Miss.] on their efforts throughout this process. We worked together to give certainty and sound policy to our agricultural producers; deliver taxpayers billions of dollars in savings; and provide consumers the affordable and reliable food supply they have grown accustomed to.”
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson D-Minn. — “The Senate today showed that it is possible to work together and actually get something done in Washington. Just as the House did last week, the Senate approved the 2014 farm bill with strong, bipartisan support, providing farmers and ranchers with a strong safety net and the certainty they need for the next five years. I commend Chairwoman Stabenow and ranking member Cochran for their unwavering support and urge the president to quickly sign the bill into law.”
Growers and producers
American Farm Bureau Federation — Said the bill will provide certainty to farmers and ranchers to make planting and farm business decisions. “We are particularly pleased with provisions in the bill to provide risk management to fruit and vegetable farmers and to support livestock farmers during disasters.”
The National Grange — “It may be two years past due, but we’re thrilled to finally see a real farm bill passed into law today. America’s farmers and ranchers have had to operate their businesses on guesses and assumptions for the last two years but today, they’re finally getting the stability and predictability that only a strong farm bill can provide.”
National Milk Producers Federation (Represents dairy farmers) — “We didn’t wind up precisely where we wanted in terms of the dairy program, but the milk glass is more than half-full. The new farm bill replaces three outmoded programs intended to help farmers — but that often failed in that effort. In their place is a new, more modern, and more comprehensive margin protection program offering dairy producers a far better and more effective safety net. Because it is designed to protect against periods of both low milk prices as well as high feed costs, margin insurance is a better risk management tool to help farmers deal with the global volatility in commodity prices in the 21st century.”
National Corn Growers Association — Said the bill “eliminates controversial direct payments while maintaining decoupled farm support programs that will minimize the possibility of planting and production distortions that could trigger new World Trade Organization challenges ... While it’s not perfect, we’re pleased to see the bill contains many provisions we’ve been working hard for over the years.”
American Sugar Alliance (Represents beet and cane growers) — “The sugar policy in this bill will be essential to cane and beet farmers who are dealing with the dual threat of increasing foreign subsidies and falling sugar prices. Bottom line, the 2014 farm bill will help keep 142,000 U.S. sugar jobs in America where they belong.”
ASA also noted that attempts to change U.S. sugar policy failed in five separate recorded votes during the farm bill process.
National Cotton Council — Said it appreciates the “authorization of a new crop insurance product tailored to cotton production and the inclusion of a transition program for the 2014 crop year as enactment comes too late for USDA and the private sector to offer the new insurance product until 2015.”
But NCC also reiterated industry concerns over inclusion of instructions to the Agriculture secretary to propose changes in the management and labor criteria used to determine eligibility for commodity programs, which begins in 2015, and the further reduction in the adjusted gross income eligibility test, effective in 2014. The re-imposition of limitations on marketing loan benefits could disrupt orderly marketing in times of low prices, the group said.
American Soybean Association — “We’ve invested a great deal of time and energy in this bill, and the final product represents a true compromise that will benefit many crops, regions and aspects of American agriculture.”
The group also noted that, while it eliminates direct payments, the bill includes a choice between a revenue program that covers both price and yield losses with county and farm level options, and a price support program which allows the optional purchase of insurance coverage under a supplemental coverage option. ASA also praised research, export promotion and energy programs.
U.S. Apple Association — “This is a great victory for the apple industry since the specialty crop research initiative and the clean plant network — both top USApple priorities — lost funding under the latest extension because they did not have a ‘baseline.’ ”
American Olive Oil Association — Noted that the bill’s report language urges the Agriculture Department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Food and Drug Administration to study whether a marketing order for olive oil would address concerns about olive oil fraud.
U.S. Cattlemen’s Association — Noted that it had opposed changes to country-of-origin labeling for red meat, but also said, “Given the catastrophic winter storm Atlas and the ongoing drought across California and the West, the livestock disaster provisions within this bill will provide necessary assistance to many states currently looking to recover from these weather-related disasters. The implementation of these programs under a 10-year baseline, versus the ad hoc temporary funding used previously, will provide assurance to those affected and for the industry in years to come.”
United Fresh Produce Association — “The bill, on which Congress started having hearings in 2010, provides nearly $4 billion in funding for programs that benefit specialty crop production, including fresh produce. The funding amounts and policies encompassed in the bill reflect specialty crop priorities for block grants, research, pest and disease mitigation, nutrition and trade. … But even though the overall bill took many unexpected twists and turns, one thing was consistent: strong, bipartisan support in the House and Senate for fresh fruit and vegetable policies.”
The American Frozen Food Institute — “The bill expands USDA’s fresh fruit and vegetable program to include a new one-year, $5 million pilot program that allows elementary schools in five states to test the efficacy of serving canned, dried and frozen fruits and vegetables as snacks to low-income school children during the 2014-2015 school year.”
Current USDA snack programs require the use of fresh fruits and vegetables, but AFFI said, “Findings from the USDA-administered pilot program will enable Congress to consider the benefits of permanently expanding the USDA program to include all forms of fruits and vegetables — including frozen — during next year’s reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.”
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (National coalition representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products) — “The farm bill conference report includes an overall increase in investment of 55 percent over 2008 farm bill funding levels in critical specialty crop initiatives and programs, including the state block grant program, specialty research initiative, a new fruit and vegetable incentive grant program for SNAP recipients, the pest and disease prevention program along with maintaining funding in the market access program and the fresh fruit and vegetable program.”
Organic Trade Association — Said the conference report allows “organic farmers, distributors, and marketers access to the same agriculture research and promotion programs available to conventional farmers by authorizing USDA to consider an application from the organic sector for its own check-off program, as well as clarifying that the current exemption from conventional check-off programs applies to all certified organic operations. In addition, it provides increased funding for the National Organic Program to enforce organic standards, improve technology, and negotiate international trade agreements, as well as funding for organic research, data collection, and certification cost share.”
American Feed Industry Association (Represents the animal feed industry and its suppliers) — “Rests satisfied this Congress will dedicate more than $600 million in mandatory funding to vital basic and applied animal health and disease research, as well a crop protection, beginning farmer and various USDA research programs.” Said it was “pleased to see the inclusion of the new public/private matching funds research initiative” and that the Agriculture Department “will no longer use feed assistance as a means to rid of surplus commodities.”
Conservation groups
American Forest Foundation — Said the bill will provide more access to markets for forests and will reward landowners who “the next step in conservation” through the Conservation Stewardship Program.
Ducks Unlimited — Noted that the bill “includes the conservation and sporting community’s top priorities of re-coupling conservation compliance to crop insurance and the sod-saver program affecting the top duck producing states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.”
National Wildlife Federation — “With so many competing interests, it is a huge victory for wildlife that the conservation of our nation’s natural resources was prioritized and included in the final bill. By re-linking conservation compliance to crop insurance, funding key conservation programs, and including a sod-saver provision in key states to protect grasslands, this bill will help wildlife from across our prairies to our oceans.”
Nature Conservancy — “This farm bill is one of the strongest ever for conservation and forestry.”
Izaak Walton League of America — Said the bill will safeguard the nation’s natural resources “with a requirement that farmers who receive crop insurance premium subsidies — currently $9 billion in annual taxpayer support — adopt basic conservation practices. Known as ‘conservation compliance,’ this compact between farmers and taxpayers requires that producers farming erosion-prone land develop conservation plans to reduce soil loss. It also prohibits new wetland drainage. Conservation compliance has saved nearly 300 million tons of soil annually and protected millions of acres of wetlands since Congress included this requirement in the 1985 farm bill.”
Western Organization of Resource Councils (Regional network of conservationists and family farmers and ranchers) — Praised Congress for leaving out proposals that would have rolled back the country-of origin labeling (COOL) program and limited the authority of the Agriculture Department to address what the group called “fraudulent, deceptive and retaliatory business practices of meatpackers.”
Others
Biotechnology Industry Organization — Said the bill opens energy programs to renewable chemical technologies, that renewal of the biorefinery assistance program provides certainty for investors in the renewable chemicals and bio-based manufacturing sector and that renewed funding for the biomass crop assistance program creates “a path to insure purpose-grown energy crops against disaster.”
American Association of Crop Insurers, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau and National Crop Insurance Services — In a joint statement said, “We congratulate the Senate on its swift passage of the farm bill and know that America’s farmers appreciate the certainty it provides by ensuring a strong crop insurance policy.”
Independent Community Bankers Association — “In particular, ICBA appreciates provisions of the act to strengthen crop and revenue insurance programs and to remove term limits on USDA guaranteed farm operating loans, among other federal policies important to rural America.”
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (Now headed by former Rep. Joanne Emerson, R-Mo. — “Cooperatives serve 93 percent of the nation’s ‘persistent poverty counties’ and see first-hand the need for the rural economic development programs contained in this bill.”
NRECA added that it looks forward to a partnership with the Rural Utilities Service to improve rural electricity delivery and that appreciates the RUS provisions to expand cooperatives’ ability to make low-interest efficiency loans to consumer-members to help reduce their energy costs and consumption.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law — Said it “is disappointed in the reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” The Lawyers Committee took the position, it said, because its principal mission “is to secure equal justice for all through the rule of law, targeting in particular the inequities confronting racial minorities and cuts to SNAP will disproportionately hurt low-income minority citizens and women.”
