House Passes Farm Bill
Press Release
Saying that it will save taxpayers $14 billion while providing hard-working producers stability, predictability, and relief from excessive federal regulations, Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) voted to support the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act or FARRM Bill. The Bill, which passed the House 216 to 208, authorizes funding for most federal farm policies only.
"Agriculture is critical to the economy in our part of Texas, and it is a major lifeline for our country. Our farmers and ranchers play a vital role in maintaining our nation's food and fiber supply. They need to know what our nation's agriculture policy is going be," said Rep. Thornberry. "The hardworking folks in our area deserve better than political gamesmanship from Congress or special interest groups holding this bill hostage to raise their profile and more money."
Agriculture is a top employer and economic engine in the 13th Congressional District. The area is number one in Texas for cattle, hogs, wheat, and corn production. It is also a leader in cotton, dairy, and forage. All totaled, the area produces over $5.8 billion in agricultural products each year.
For the past 40 years, the Farm Bill was written to include nutrition programs such as Food Stamps (SNAP program) to achieve bipartisan support across agriculture-producing states and those that are not. The bill that passed the House today includes farm policy only.
In addition to providing funding for farm programs like Crop Insurance, the new FARRM bill repeals or consolidates more than 100 United States Department of Agriculture programs, including direct payments. The legislation also eliminates and streamlines duplicative and overlapping conservation programs. Finally, H.R. 2642 repeals the underlying 1949 permanent law and replaces it with current law.
Local farmers and ranchers support the bill, as does the National Pork Producers Council (NPCC), the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), and Texas Farm Bureau (TFB), among others. On Thursday, TFB told lawmakers, "We appreciate the long-standing connection between nutrition and farm policy, but understand the House leadership has determined the only way forward at this time is to handle the titles separately. With this understanding, Texas Farm Bureau strongly encourages the House to move expeditiously in advancing this legislation to conference with the Senate and into law."
Overall highlights include: H.R. 2642 accomplishes the following:
Eliminates direct payments
Cuts traditional farm policy by almost $23 billion. Cuts include repealing direct payments, counter cyclical payments, the average crop revenue election program (ACRE), and the supplemental revenue assistance payments (SURE)
Limits producers to a risk management option that offers protection only when they suffer significant losses
Improves the crop insurance program, a successful public/private partnership that ensures farmers have stake in partnership
Repeals the outdated and unworkable 1949 permanent law and replaces it with the cost- effective and market-oriented 2013 farm bill
Eliminates duplicative permitting requirements for pesticides.
Prohibits EPA from implementing the unjustified and unscientific biological opinions of the National Marine Fisheries Service until there is an unbiased, scientific peer review of those opinions
Requires regulatory agencies across the government to use scientifically sound information in moving forward with their regulatory initiatives
Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to advocate on behalf of farmers and ranchers as other agencies move forward with regulations affecting food and fiber
Eliminates duplicative reporting requirements for seed importers
Addresses concerns of farmers and ranchers with regard to access to essential crop protection tools
Reauthorizes and strengthens livestock disaster assistance
Fully funds specialty crop industry priorities, such as specialty crop block grants
Source