Farm bill conferees, leaders hear from many farm groups
October 23, 2013 | 12:16 AM
A number of groups have written to members of the House and Senate conference on the farm bill, urging support for their positions on planted acres payments, specialty crops, USDA catfish inspection and international food aid.
In its letter to farm bill conferees, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition said Tuesday that conferees should reject the House proposal that would tie payments to planted acres up to base acres.
Conferees should “reject all the environmentally destructive and trade distorting provisions that propose to tie program payments of any type to actual planted acres or yield updating,” NSAC said.
NSAC also urged the conferees to adopt the payment limitations that are in both bills, develop whole farm revenue insurance for diversified farming operations, and retain the Senate provision to cut crop insurance premium subsidies for farmers who make more than $750,000 per year, as well as many other provisions in both the House and Senate bills.
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, composed of growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, has written a letter to farm bill conferees urging them to maintain support for specialty crops.
The growers are also opposed to provisions reducing crop insurance premium support for high earners and linking crop insurance to conservation compliance.
Seventy-six members of the House have urged House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., to insist on keeping the House farm bill repeal of the USDA catfish inspection program during the farm bill conference, according to a letter released today by the National Fisheries Institute.
The letter was organized by Rep. Vicki Hartzler, R-Mo., and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.
Fifty-three House members have written House and Senate conferees urging them to make changes to the U.S. international food aid programs, according to a letter released today by Oxfam America.
NSAC opposes payments on planted acres
In its letter to farm bill conferees, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition said Tuesday that conferees should reject the House proposal that would tie payments to planted acres up to base acres.
Conferees should “reject all the environmentally destructive and trade distorting provisions that propose to tie program payments of any type to actual planted acres or yield updating,” NSAC said.
NSAC also urged the conferees to adopt the payment limitations that are in both bills, develop whole farm revenue insurance for diversified farming operations, and retain the Senate provision to cut crop insurance premium subsidies for farmers who make more than $750,000 per year, as well as many other provisions in both the House and Senate bills.
Growers urge support of specialty crops
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, composed of growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, has written a letter to farm bill conferees urging them to maintain support for specialty crops.
The growers are also opposed to provisions reducing crop insurance premium support for high earners and linking crop insurance to conservation compliance.
- Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Letter to Farm Bill Conference Committee Leaders
- Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance
Letter from House members supports USDA catfish inspection repeal
Seventy-six members of the House have urged House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., to insist on keeping the House farm bill repeal of the USDA catfish inspection program during the farm bill conference, according to a letter released today by the National Fisheries Institute.
The letter was organized by Rep. Vicki Hartzler, R-Mo., and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.
- Letter to Rep. Lucas and Rep. Lucas on Catfish Inspection Program
- Repeal USDA Catfish Inspection Program
House members ask for food aid changes
Fifty-three House members have written House and Senate conferees urging them to make changes to the U.S. international food aid programs, according to a letter released today by Oxfam America.
