Ag Policy Blog

Sen. Grassley: 'Holding out Hope for Farm Bill Passage'

Todd Neeley
By  Todd Neeley , DTN Staff Reporter
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Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters Thursday that he remains hopeful a new five-year farm bill will be passed in Congress ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline although there will be just nine working days once lawmakers return to Washington.

He said he didn't expect to see any extensions as Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid and Senate Ag Chairman Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., have said they would not entertain extension legislation.

"The House doesn't need food stamps in its bill, as it could go to conference with the Senate without it," Grassley said.

"You could come out of committee with a farm bill with food stamps. I'm fairly optimistic we're going to get something done. It may not be by the deadline, but we're going to get a new farm bill soon.

"There is a lot of pressure if there's no extension and we end up with a '49 farm bill. Nobody's going to want to do that."

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Federal law requires that if a new farm bill or an extension of the current bill isn't passed, to revert back to the 1949 version of the law.

Grassley entertained the idea that the farm bill could be tied to the impending debt ceiling debate this fall.

"The possibilities are very limited because of the House of Representatives doing everything they can to do a clean CR," he said.

"I'm not going to give up on getting an agreement out of conference. We can go to conference with the House passing just the farm bill as long as the Senate has a food stamps bill.

"As a practical matter they're (the conference) going to have to find some compromise between $4 billion (the Senate version) and $20 billion in savings on food stamps."

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman told a group of farmers last week at Dakotafest in Mitchell, S.D., that talk of an extension should be put on hold.

"We have to keep the heat on Congress to get a five-year farm bill done this year," he said, according to an AFBF news release. "It's premature to even be talking about an extension."

Stallman said a one-year extension would be "a cop-out."

"In addition, policy reforms -– such as a larger role for crop insurance as part of the farm safety net, more equity across crops grown and increased support for fruit and vegetable growers -– that have been proposed in the new legislation are not possible if the current farm bill is extended," an AFBF news release said.

"Further, a new farm bill would help Congress get the nation's fiscal house in order by saving about $20 billion compared to the 2008 law."

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Comments

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Bonnie Dukowitz
9/8/2013 | 3:20 PM CDT
Good grief!
John Olson
9/8/2013 | 12:04 PM CDT
Greedy and blind would describe someone happy to have government schemes drive up their real estate values and oblivious to their smaller neighbors being driven out of business by government multibillion dollar schemes. Blind would also describe those oblivious to government schemes driving up food production costs. Fortunately most small beef cow/calf operations are very cognizant of the government financial assault against their small businesses.
Bonnie Dukowitz
9/8/2013 | 7:23 AM CDT
It is all in ones perspective John. Why you would label a 100 cow calf operation as greedy? What you reference as a scheme in farming, is only a pimple on an elepants rear end. I like to not become blind do to an obsession to keep things in perspective.
John Olson
9/6/2013 | 7:32 AM CDT
A dislike for stupid government schemes is not equivalent to hatred for farmers. Why Bonnie do you hate smaller and beginning farmers Bonnie? It has a whole lot to do with your greed Bonnie and your naivety regarding government schemes to alleviate hunger. Supporting government schemes that work to eliminate farm numbers can also contribute hunger.
Bonnie Dukowitz
9/4/2013 | 6:52 AM CDT
Have you ever been hungry John? If you had to forage morsels for nourishment, you might not hate farmers quite so much.
melvin meister
9/3/2013 | 8:35 PM CDT
John; keep talking to yourself 'no one is lisening.Some of us have had much more expiereance with republican farm bills.
John Olson
9/3/2013 | 12:34 PM CDT
Try getting a life off of farm welfare Keith. Many of us taxpaying farmers are sick and tired of supporting farm welfare kings and queens ever pandering for more government subsidies and guarantees.
KEITH PEARSON
9/2/2013 | 7:24 PM CDT
John you got too much time on your hands if you can think up all this s---.
John Olson
9/2/2013 | 6:39 AM CDT
To pretend that promoting and supercharging government schemes for farmers that provide for multimillion dollar investment/profit guarantees as well as annual billions in premium subsidies is reform is completely preposterous. Such schemes steal from smaller and beginning farmers a fair and equal opportunity to compete.
John Olson
8/30/2013 | 7:09 AM CDT
The last thing this country needs is another bloated highly discriminatory government farm program full of schemes that target the largest select farmers with the greatest benefits that are in many cases massive investment/profit guarantees. To pretend that the 49 farm bill is not repeal-able is ridiculous. Also ridiculous is any suggestion that squandering billions for this highly wasteful bill will somehow get this nation's fiscal house in order. Congress has proven itself incapable of controlling crop insurance schemes that have morphed into massive investment/profit guarantees for a select few. Too pretend that expanding these schemes for a select few is reform is dishonest and morally unconscionable.