Heritage says extend farm bill, NFU says don’t
September 11, 2013 | 06:04 PM
The Heritage Foundation on Monday called for an extension of the farm bill, which expires on September 30, but the National Farmers Union came out against it.
In an issue brief, Heritage Foundation researcher Daren Bakst said that time is so short and the existing farm bills passed by the House and Senate are so flawed that “going to conference with these bills would only lead to bad policy.”
“Congress should not force through a farm bill this fall simply for the sake of passing a bill,” Bakst wrote. “An extension would give Congress the chance to address critical reforms. The House and Senate farm bills fail to make even common-sense reforms and in some cases, make things worse.”
The position puts Heritage at odds with the Republican House leadership. Due to disagreements over the farm bill and other issues, the Republican Study Committee has banned Heritage employees from its meetings.
In a news release today, National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said a farm bill extension was unacceptable.
“There has been discussion on Capitol Hill that an extension would be a solution to farm program legislation as we approach the September 30 expiration of the one-year extension already passed last year to the 2008 farm bill,” Johnson said. “This is not an acceptable solution.”
“An extension will not solve the issue of uncertainty that U.S. family farmers and ranchers are facing each day that we continue to not have a new farm bill,” he added.
“If Congress again extends current law, indefensible policies such as direct payments to farmers regardless of commodity prices will continue, costing $8 to 10 billion over the next two years,” Johnson said. “Organizations calling for an extension at this time do not have the interests of family farmers, ranchers, fisherman and hungry Americans in mind.”
In an issue brief, Heritage Foundation researcher Daren Bakst said that time is so short and the existing farm bills passed by the House and Senate are so flawed that “going to conference with these bills would only lead to bad policy.”
“Congress should not force through a farm bill this fall simply for the sake of passing a bill,” Bakst wrote. “An extension would give Congress the chance to address critical reforms. The House and Senate farm bills fail to make even common-sense reforms and in some cases, make things worse.”
The position puts Heritage at odds with the Republican House leadership. Due to disagreements over the farm bill and other issues, the Republican Study Committee has banned Heritage employees from its meetings.
In a news release today, National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said a farm bill extension was unacceptable.
“There has been discussion on Capitol Hill that an extension would be a solution to farm program legislation as we approach the September 30 expiration of the one-year extension already passed last year to the 2008 farm bill,” Johnson said. “This is not an acceptable solution.”
“An extension will not solve the issue of uncertainty that U.S. family farmers and ranchers are facing each day that we continue to not have a new farm bill,” he added.
“If Congress again extends current law, indefensible policies such as direct payments to farmers regardless of commodity prices will continue, costing $8 to 10 billion over the next two years,” Johnson said. “Organizations calling for an extension at this time do not have the interests of family farmers, ranchers, fisherman and hungry Americans in mind.”
