Budget vote, extension debate, farm bill meeting expected
December 12, 2013 | 02:51 PM
The House has begun voting on a budget deal that would involve some changes in agriculture spending and are expected to begin a debate on a farm bill extension. In addition, the farm bill principal negotiators are expected to hold a conference meeting either today or Friday, but appear unlikely to announce a framework agreement on the bill.
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., told reporters Wednesday that he and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., will return to Washington next week to continue negotiations on the farm bill. The House will not be in session next week, but the Senate will.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., scheduled votes on the budget deal worked out by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, R-Va. Although the deal has been described as small and conservative groups such as Heritage Action are against it, the deal is expected to pass.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition noted in an analysis published Wednesday that the bill would extend sequestration cuts to Agriculture Department mandatory spending by two years. The bill would reduce USDA spending by $28 billion, although some of that decrease would not occur until 2022 and 2023 and would involve farm subsidies that are likely to be changed in the farm bill.
NSAC noted that the bill would cut $600 million in conservation programs through 2023 and allow the Natural Resources Conservation Service to establish user fees of up to $150 for farmers and ranchers who ask NRCS for conservation technical assistance. There are exemptions for the user fee for beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers, to farmers needing assistance to qualify for an exemption from conservation compliance, and to farmers needing conservation plans to address federal, state, or local regulatory requirements.
The fees would produce $4 million in savings per year, NSAC said.
NSAC opposes the user fees on the grounds that, “it would almost certainly result in fewer farmers seeking technical help from NRCS to improve their soil and water conservation practices” and the National Association of Conservation Districts and the National Farmers Union also oppose them.
OFW Law, in its analysis, said that the bill would eliminate the current requirement that the Maritime Administration reimburse USDA and USAID for shipping expenses for food aid that exceed 20 percent of total program cost (the value of commodities plus shipping expenses) in a given fiscal year, by the dollar amount above 20 percent reimbursements.
MARAD reimbursed $10 million in fiscal year 2012, according to USDA budget documents, OFW said.
The bill also provides for a further extension of the customs user fees that were extended until 2021 in the 2008 farm bill to offset the costs of increased food stamp spending. The new extension runs through Sept. 30, 2023.
After the budget deal vote, Cantor’s schedule says the House would “begin debate” on the proposed one month extension of the farm bill, but it does not mention an actual vote. House aides said the vote could occur this afternoon or not until Friday, the day the House is expected to leave until January 6.
Lucas filed the extension bill, and the House Rules Committee voted 9-3 Wednesday to bring it up under a closed rule, which means no debate.
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., told reporters Wednesday that he and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., will return to Washington next week to continue negotiations on the farm bill. The House will not be in session next week, but the Senate will.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., scheduled votes on the budget deal worked out by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, R-Va. Although the deal has been described as small and conservative groups such as Heritage Action are against it, the deal is expected to pass.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition noted in an analysis published Wednesday that the bill would extend sequestration cuts to Agriculture Department mandatory spending by two years. The bill would reduce USDA spending by $28 billion, although some of that decrease would not occur until 2022 and 2023 and would involve farm subsidies that are likely to be changed in the farm bill.
NSAC noted that the bill would cut $600 million in conservation programs through 2023 and allow the Natural Resources Conservation Service to establish user fees of up to $150 for farmers and ranchers who ask NRCS for conservation technical assistance. There are exemptions for the user fee for beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers, to farmers needing assistance to qualify for an exemption from conservation compliance, and to farmers needing conservation plans to address federal, state, or local regulatory requirements.
The fees would produce $4 million in savings per year, NSAC said.
NSAC opposes the user fees on the grounds that, “it would almost certainly result in fewer farmers seeking technical help from NRCS to improve their soil and water conservation practices” and the National Association of Conservation Districts and the National Farmers Union also oppose them.
OFW Law, in its analysis, said that the bill would eliminate the current requirement that the Maritime Administration reimburse USDA and USAID for shipping expenses for food aid that exceed 20 percent of total program cost (the value of commodities plus shipping expenses) in a given fiscal year, by the dollar amount above 20 percent reimbursements.
MARAD reimbursed $10 million in fiscal year 2012, according to USDA budget documents, OFW said.
The bill also provides for a further extension of the customs user fees that were extended until 2021 in the 2008 farm bill to offset the costs of increased food stamp spending. The new extension runs through Sept. 30, 2023.
After the budget deal vote, Cantor’s schedule says the House would “begin debate” on the proposed one month extension of the farm bill, but it does not mention an actual vote. House aides said the vote could occur this afternoon or not until Friday, the day the House is expected to leave until January 6.
Lucas filed the extension bill, and the House Rules Committee voted 9-3 Wednesday to bring it up under a closed rule, which means no debate.
