At the beginning of the New Year, Congress announced that the 2008 farm bill will extend until September 30, 2013, a decision that was made months after the farm bill expired. The nine-month extension measure was attached to the bigger fiscal cliff bill and passed by the Senate on January 1.
I can’t help but wonder what this will mean for farmers and consumers? On one hand, I am glad to see Congress make a decision but on the other, there are many issues left unaddressed. It seems to me this extension is filled with more cons than pros. A five-year farm bill would have made for a better solution. Congress now has until September 30 to draft legislation to replace the current extension. But will a new bill be drafted or will it be allowed to expire once again?
So what does the 2008 farm bill extension cover? In one report I read, the National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson said, “The renewable energy programs are all gone. A number of the conservation programs are gone. A number of the beginning farmer and rancher programs are gone. The disaster programs are all gone.”
The extension reauthorizes direct payments for 2013 crops but did not extend the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE). The extension allows the USDA to restart programs that have ongoing baseline funding.
The extension does not include the Dairy Security Act’s market-based reform provisions leaving dairy farmers operating without a safety net. Instead, it extends the dairy product price support system and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).
We all know there are unpredictable and uncontrollable natural disasters that can devastate farmers across the nation. The farm bill extension fails to provide disaster assistance for livestock producers. I am afraid to think how this could affect farmers in the Ozarks if we have another year like 2012.
National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson released the following statement; “America’s farmers have clearly made known the importance and need of a new farm bill in 2012. Once again Congress’ failure to act pushes agriculture aside hampering farmers’ ability to make sound business decisions for the next five years. The National Corn Growers Association is tired of the endless excuses and lack of accountability. The system is clearly broken.”
It’s no surprise that many organizations and farmers have voiced their concerns, as they should. I am grateful for the organizations that take a stand and advocate not only for a five-year farm bill but also for the agricultural industry as a whole; I just hope Congress is listening to these concerns.
The next nine months of uncertainty leaves farmers unable to plan for the future. I’ve read several reports from farmers expressing their concerns. This extension feels as though it is a giant step backward.
Best wishes in 2013,
