“Solid Reforms” in Farm Bill

By: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) Excerpt from Congressional Record May 14, 2008: This farm bill contains solid reforms while addressing a variety of issues including forestry, rural development, renewable energy, nutrition, conservation, research, specialty crops, and livestock and still maintains the safety net necessary to ensure a safe, reliable and affordable domestic food supply. This…

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Livestock Title

By: Rep. Leonard Boswell (D – Iowa) Excerpt from Congressional Record May 14, 2008: Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference report… As chairman of the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee, working with my ranking member over here, Mr. Hayes, we have got the first-ever livestock title. It offers producers much-needed protections and…

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Rural Development

By: Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) Excerpt from Congressional Record May 14, 2008: [T]his bill is a victory for farmers, a victory for communities, a victory for rural America. As chairman of the Rural Development Subcommittee, I’m pleased that this conference report contains strong rural development title that supports small business, expands access to broadband, and…

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Farm Bill Reform

By: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) Excerpt from Congressional Record May 15, 2008: America’s farm safety net was created during the Great Depression as an essential reform to help support rural communities and protect struggling family farmers from the financial shocks of volatile weather and equally volatile commodity prices. Almost 75 years later the reasons for…

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Volatile Crop Prices Causing ‘Heartburn’ for Farmers

WASHINGTON (Apr. 30, 2008)—With the farm community’s attention focused squarely on finishing the farm bill deliberations, little notice was paid to an important meeting held at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) last week. Bart Chilton, a CFTC Commissioner, said of the meeting to examine the impact of crop prices on farmers, “Commodity prices are…

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Myth Busters Part 2 – Federal Spending and the Farm Bill

In the second installment of our ongoing series about the unsubstantiated claims by farm policy opponents, Farm Policy Facts will examine the notion that commodity programs break the bank. Myth: Federal farm programs are outrageously expensive and U.S. Taxpayers would benefit from their elimination. The Truth: Commodity programs have always accounted for less than one…

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Administration Must Compromise on Farm Bill

By: Senator Norm Coleman After months of negotiations, congressional negotiators are on the cusp of a farm bill agreement that’ll provide the framework necessary to quickly complete reauthorization of the nation’s farm policy. This will be the product of a consistent, bipartisan, cross-regional and bicameral effort in Congress. With the spring planting season nearly upon…

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