2008 Farm Bill -

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Subject: Senate Farm Bill Conferees Named



The U.S. Senate is determined to expedite the completion of the 2007 Farm Bill. Today the Senate named which of its members will participate on the 2007 Farm Bill Conference Committee. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin will Chair the Conference Committee. The Senate Conference Committee members are:



Name Phone Fax



Tom Harkin (D-IA) 202-224-3254 202-224-9369

Max Baucus (D-MT) 202-224-2651 202-224-0515

Kent Conrad (D-ND) 202-224-2043 202-224-7776

Patrick Leahy (D-VT) 202-224-4242 202-224-3479

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) 202-224-4843 202-228-1371

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) 202-224-4822 202-228-0325

Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) 202-224-3521 202-224-0103

Richard Lugar (R-IN) 202-224-4814 202-228-0360

Charles Grassley (R-IA) 202-224-3744 202-224-6020

Thad Cochran (R-MS) 202-224-5054 202-224-9450

Pat Roberts (R-KS) 202-224-4774 202-224-3514



We must begin immediately to inform each of these members how important it is to adopt the Senate version of country-of-origin labeling (COOL), the prohibition on packer ownership of livestock, and the other competition reforms in the Senate version of the 2007 Farm Bill. At this point in time, letters should be faxed to each of these Senators from all across the country.



The prohibition on packer ownership of livestock is being met with incredible resistance. We have but a short time to demonstrate to each Senator that it has INCREDIBLE SUPPORT from cattle producers all across the United States.
 
Good post Oldtimer- it is nice to see that people actually care about Farm & Food Policy.
Looks to me like the Senate conferees are 1/2 Corn people & 1/2 Sugar people.
Waiting to see who the House conferees will be.

Colin Peterson did a great job getting the House version put together and out quickly - the Senate dragged their version out a while- I wonder how much the conference committee(s) is going to butcher it for their turn?

There is a lot of talk that Bush will veto it if they do not trim some of the subsidies - what Americans do not understand is, it is the subsidies that help to keep our food supply one of the safest and cheapest in the world.
 
Oldtimer- Looks like you got a friend in R-Calf:
R-CALF Says Recent Court Decision Shows Need for Ban on Packer Ownership
Published Thursday, February 07, 2008 at 04:23 AMThroughout the farm bill debate - R-CALF USA has encouraged Senators to address competition issues. Among other things - R-CALF would like Congress to amend the Packers and Stockyards Act to prohibit the practice of packer ownership of livestock. R-CALF says a recent appeals court decision demonstrates the compelling need for Congress to act immediately to adopt that ban on packer ownership included in the Senate version of the 2007 Farm Bill.

According to R-CALF - meatpackers use packer-owned livestock to lower the prices paid to producers for their live cattle. If Congress doesn't act to make the practice unlawful - the group says producers will have no recourse and no protection against the resulting manipulation and control of prices.

R-CALF President Max Thornsberry says 40-percent of the 1.6-million cattle operations in the U.S. have ceased operations since 1980. He says the U.S. herd size is more than 15-million head smaller than it was 25 years ago. In the coming weeks - he says Congress has an opportunity to clarify its intent to preserve open and competitive livestock markets so today's U.S. livestock producers can continue to have the opportunity to be profitable.
 
Yep--Both R-CALF and USCA are working hard to keep the beef industry in the hands of family farmers/ranchers and from going the way of the hog and chicken industry that are almost all vertically integrated corporate owned...

I think they are the only chance of our kids or grandkids ever owning/operating the family ranch and continuing in the cattle business.....
 
We have until March 15th for the Farm Bill to get approved or we go back to the 1949 Bill. With that being said, there is a lot of talk that the conferees will pick apart the bill to the White House's liking and it will go through. There is too much at stake to revert back to parity!
 
Sugarman":1cnw1scg said:
We have until March 15th for the Farm Bill to get approved or we go back to the 1949 Bill. With that being said, there is a lot of talk that the conferees will pick apart the bill to the White House's liking and it will go through. There is too much at stake to revert back to parity!
I'm hoping they don't make it. Dusting off the 1949 rule book now.
 
Sugarman":2x1f5cco said:
Blustem,
Why would you like to go back to the 1949 Farm Bill?
I want the right to succeed or fail without the roadblocks which seem to be included in every Federal and state farm bill. Here is a link which hits some of my thoughts. Substitute Tn for the USA. Substitute raw milk for any other restricted value added commodity.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/print.ht ... S00050.htm
 
Wish you the best Blustem.
The White House just approved a $10 billion overage on the budget- as well as requested for a few provisions to be pulled out. Not sure if the Harkin & Peterson find this too kosher- but it is a little better than the straight-up veto threat the White House was giving earlier.
My money's on an extention of the current Farm Bill until the new Administration gets to Pennsylvania Avenue.
Patiently waiting.
 
Bluestem":3sgfr9ux said:
Sugarman":3sgfr9ux said:
We have until March 15th for the Farm Bill to get approved or we go back to the 1949 Bill. With that being said, there is a lot of talk that the conferees will pick apart the bill to the White House's liking and it will go through. There is too much at stake to revert back to parity!
I'm hoping they don't make it. Dusting off the 1949 rule book now.
$28 price support for milk. And what is the current price support under the 2002 farm bill? Bluestem is that what you consider the right to fail or succeed without roadblocks? From $9.90 up to $28.
 
May 15, 2008
WASHINGTON - The House emphatically approved a major five-year farm bill by a veto-proof margin yesterday, setting up President Bush for a major political embarrassment.

Brushing off Bush's opposition, many Republicans joined a majority of Democrats in approving the farm bill, 318-106. This is well over the two-thirds vote needed to override Bush's promised veto.

NFU: Farm Bill Clears Senate With Overwhelming Majority


WASHINGTON (May 15, 2008) - The U.S. Senate today followed yesterday's action in the House of Representatives by approving the farm bill conference report, sending the bill to the president's desk.

The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 passed the Senate by a 81-15 vote.


"The Senate's vote demonstrates the broad support the 2008 Farm Bill has across the country," NFU President Tom Buis said. "It's taken two years to get to this point and while no piece of legislation is ever perfect this is a good bill and I am pleased to see such overwhelming support in Congress."

The 2008 Farm Bill will benefit all Americans through the following provisions:



-Permanent disaster assistance program;

-Mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL);

-Interstate shipment of state inspected meat;

-Continuation of the Milk Income Contract Loss (MILC) program with added cost of production;

-More than $900 million for specialty crops;

-$7.9 billion for conservation programs;

-More than $10 billion for domestic and international nutrition programs;

-Payment reforms by eliminating the triple entity rule and requiring direct attribution of farm program payments; and

-Increased funding for the next generation of renewable fuels.



Buis commended those in Congress that worked so hard to write the new farm legislation - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss; House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid; Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley; Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel and Rep. Earl Pomeroy; Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad; House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro; and members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and Farm Bill Conference Committee that played such a vital role.

Despite the broad, bipartisan support in Congress, President Bush has stated he plans to veto the farm bill.

"The strong votes in both the House and Senate should serve as a clear sign to the president. Vetoing the farm bill is the wrong move," Buis said.
 
Oldtimer":3g008ll6 said:
May 15, 2008
WASHINGTON - The House emphatically approved a major five-year farm bill by a veto-proof margin yesterday, setting up President Bush for a major political embarrassment.

Brushing off Bush's opposition, many Republicans joined a majority of Democrats in approving the farm bill, 318-106. This is well over the two-thirds vote needed to override Bush's promised veto.

NFU: Farm Bill Clears Senate With Overwhelming Majority


WASHINGTON (May 15, 2008) - The U.S. Senate today followed yesterday's action in the House of Representatives by approving the farm bill conference report, sending the bill to the president's desk.

The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 passed the Senate by a 81-15 vote.


"The Senate's vote demonstrates the broad support the 2008 Farm Bill has across the country," NFU President Tom Buis said. "It's taken two years to get to this point and while no piece of legislation is ever perfect this is a good bill and I am pleased to see such overwhelming support in Congress."

The 2008 Farm Bill will benefit all Americans through the following provisions:



-Permanent disaster assistance program;

-Mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL);

-Interstate shipment of state inspected meat;

-Continuation of the Milk Income Contract Loss (MILC) program with added cost of production;

-More than $900 million for specialty crops;

-$7.9 billion for conservation programs;

-More than $10 billion for domestic and international nutrition programs;

-Payment reforms by eliminating the triple entity rule and requiring direct attribution of farm program payments; and

-Increased funding for the next generation of renewable fuels.



Buis commended those in Congress that worked so hard to write the new farm legislation - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss; House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid; Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley; Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel and Rep. Earl Pomeroy; Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad; House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro; and members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and Farm Bill Conference Committee that played such a vital role.

Despite the broad, bipartisan support in Congress, President Bush has stated he plans to veto the farm bill.

"The strong votes in both the House and Senate should serve as a clear sign to the president. Vetoing the farm bill is the wrong move," Buis said.


Obama says- while its not perfect, he supports the Farm Bill....

"I applaud the Senate's passage today of the Farm Bill, which will provide America's hard-working farmers and ranchers with more support and more predictability."
"The bill places greater resources into renewable energy and conservation. And, during this time of rising food prices, the Farm Bill provides an additional $10 billion for critical nutrition programs. I am also pleased that the bill includes my proposal to help thousands of African-American farmers get their discrimination claims reviewed under the Pigford settlement."

"This bill is far from perfect. I believe in tighter payment limits and a ban on packer ownership of livestock. As president, I will continue to fight for the interests of America's family farmers and ranchers and ensure that assistance is geared towards those producers who truly need them, instead of large agribusinesses. But with so much at stake, we cannot make the perfect the enemy of the good."

"By opposing the bill, President Bush and John McCain are saying no to America's farmers and ranchers, no to energy independence, no to the environment, and no to millions of hungry people."
 
News from the House Agriculture Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Media Contacts:
April Demert Slayton (202) 225-6872
Scott Kuschmider (202) 225-1496

Congress Sends Farm Bill to White House

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congress sent H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 to President Bush. The bill passed
the House of Representatives with a vote of 318-106 and passed the Senate with a vote of 81-15 last week.

"I hope that President Bush will seriously consider the many positive steps this bill takes to improve nutrition programs that are
important to so many Americans, particularly during these difficult economic times; to expand and improve conservation programs that
help farmers protect the environment; to continue and improve the safety net for farmers; to support fruit and vegetable producers
and to encourage renewable energy production from cellulosic sources," Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson said.

"We made every effort to work with Administration officials throughout the Farm Bill process, even when they showed no interest in
coming to compromise on these important issues," Chairman Peterson said. "While the President has pledged to veto the bill, I hope
that the strong, bipartisan votes in the House and Senate will demonstrate its importance to the American people and lead him to
sign it into law."

The current extension of the 2002 Farm Bill expires on Friday, May 23, 2008.
 

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