Farm Bill Expected to Come Before Senate Agriculture Committee Next Week

Posted on Friday, October 19, 2007

The Midwest based farm group Center for Rural Affairs is giving a thumbs-down to a negotiated payment limits provision in the Senate farm bill that fails to close loopholes allowing mega farms to receive large payments. Executive director Chuck Hassebrook says the agreement was brokered by Democratic Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota with support from Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia. He's also disappointed that Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, approved the agreement. Hassebrook calls it a 'deal with the devil' that will hurt family farmers in South Dakota.

Hassebrook says the new agreement provides a 'fig leaf' for payment limit opponents to hide behind.

The final draft of the farm bill is expected to come before the Senate Agriculture Committee next week.