NSAC praises parts of approps bill but claims ‘assault on farm bill’
May 19, 2014 | 02:18 PM
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition today praised the draft of the fiscal year 2015 Agriculture appropriations bill for some provisions but said it slashes funds for conservation and it “launches an assault” on the new farm bill in other cases.
NSAC, which represents smaller, environmentally-minded farmers, said the draft “provides an historic increase in funding for direct operating loans and direct farm ownership loans through the Farm Services Agency and provides an increase in funding for the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, also known as ATTRA, which provides information and technical resources to farmers, extension agents, and conservation and energy specialists throughout the country.”
But NSAC also said the bill “slashes funding levels for farm bill conservation and renewable energy programs, cutting more than 1 million acres from the Conservation Stewardship Program, over $200 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and $60 million from the new Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.”
“On top of conservation cuts, the House bill slashes funding for the Rural Energy for America program by 40 percent,” NSAC said.
NSAC also noted that the bill includes a policy rider that would force USDA to rescind most components of its fair competition and contract reform rule — known as the GIPSA rule — which it issued in December 2011.
“This rider will limit farmers’ free speech rights to consult with members of Congress and will undermine market transparency,” NSAC said.
“The same issues were considered in the farm bill conference and rejected by the authorizers who have jurisdiction over this issue. The House Subcommittee rider is anti-farmer and, substance aside, has no rightful place in an appropriations bill.”
NSAC, which represents smaller, environmentally-minded farmers, said the draft “provides an historic increase in funding for direct operating loans and direct farm ownership loans through the Farm Services Agency and provides an increase in funding for the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, also known as ATTRA, which provides information and technical resources to farmers, extension agents, and conservation and energy specialists throughout the country.”
But NSAC also said the bill “slashes funding levels for farm bill conservation and renewable energy programs, cutting more than 1 million acres from the Conservation Stewardship Program, over $200 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and $60 million from the new Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.”
“On top of conservation cuts, the House bill slashes funding for the Rural Energy for America program by 40 percent,” NSAC said.
NSAC also noted that the bill includes a policy rider that would force USDA to rescind most components of its fair competition and contract reform rule — known as the GIPSA rule — which it issued in December 2011.
“This rider will limit farmers’ free speech rights to consult with members of Congress and will undermine market transparency,” NSAC said.
“The same issues were considered in the farm bill conference and rejected by the authorizers who have jurisdiction over this issue. The House Subcommittee rider is anti-farmer and, substance aside, has no rightful place in an appropriations bill.”
