Senate Postpones Farm Bill Markup
The U.S. Senate Ag Committee has postponed todays planned markup of its version of the 2012 Farm Bill. Reports from capitol hill indicate rice and peanut interests in the south are opposing key aspects of the measure. Direct farm payments would be eliminated and crop insurance would be expanded in the Ag Committee’s draft of the bill.
The ranking member of the House Ag Committee Collin Peterson told members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, who are in D.C. for a fly-in, that “you can’t pass a [farm] bill if rice and peanuts aren’t happy.” Peterson said the House would wait for the Senate to finish its work before marking up its own version of the bill.
AFBF and other farm groups have sent a letter to committee members urging support for the proposal, while opposing a provision that would tie conservation compliance to crop insurance.
Legislative Tracking 2013
