The U.S. Senate has the right idea with its passage last week of a new farm bill. First off, the bill was widely approved, 83-11, by both Republicans and Democrats, as opposed to the House version which relied solely on Republicans for its two-vote victory margin, 213-211.
Secondly, the Senate bill hews narrowly to the current farm bill, which not only renews crop insurance and land conservation initiatives due to expire in September but also strengthens SNAP, the anti-hunger program formerly referred to as food stamps and continues funding for job training initiatives.
The farm bill is one of our most unique in that its survival depends on two extreme demographics the heartlands farmers and the poor of the inner cities that predominantly make up the 40 million that rely on food subsidies to make it through the day.
The House version would reduce food assistance for more than 1 million people by tightening work requirements for recipients as well shift some food subsidies to job training benefits. Currently, able-bodied adults 18-49 without children are required to work 20 hours a week to maintain their benefits. The House voted to raise that age limit to 59, as well as stipulate that parents with children older than age 6 receive job training in place of food stamps, disingenuously defending the move by saying training not macaroni and cheese is what is needed, just so you know where their priorities lie.
Thankfully, the Senate decided to forgo the punitive route.
Its not the best possible bill, its the best bill possible, summarized Kansass Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
FOR FARMERS, the Senate bill reduces the adjusted gross income eligibility requirement from $900,000 to $700,000 to qualify for subsidies. The production of industrial hemp, an offshoot of marijuana, would be allowed. And the amount of acreage in what is regarded as environmentally sensitive and left fallow in return for government subsidies could be increased from 24 million to 25 million in the Senates version, 24 to 29 million in the Houses.
As much as anybody, farmers are feeling threatened by the mounting trade disputes between the United States and its trading partners.
A bumper crop means nothing if its sold at a loss.
In June, prices for U.S. wheat, corn and soybeans were down a combined 10 percent, a total of $13 billion. Soybeans, Allen Countys bread and butter, were down 16 percent.
Another five-year farm deal would go a long ways in steadying the ship.
From here, representatives of the two bodies will try to find consensus in committee. Lets hope the bulk of the Senates version prevails.
Susan Lynn
