Wednesday, August 1, 2012

House Leadership Pulls Extension of Current Farm Bill Vote

 

New Bill Being Prepared

Late Tuesday night, July 31, House leadership pulled a vote on extending the current Farm Bill for one year, in favor of working a disaster assistance bill to help farmers and ranchers hard hit by the nation's drought. 

"My priority remains to get a five-year farm bill on the books and put those policies in place," said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.). "But the most pressing business before us is to provide disaster assistance to those producers impacted by the drought conditions who are currently exposed. The House is expected to consider a disaster assistance package on Thursday."

While the path of the new Farm Bill is less clear,  it appears that  Congress was increasingly uncomfortable heading home for the August recess without in some way addressing aide to drought stricken livestock and crop producers in their states. But now the door is left open for a House-Senate compromise bill to be worked before the current bill expires September 30.

Article provided by Kansas Rural Center

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