Still No Farm Bill
Posted: October 5, 2007
Senate Agriculture Committee action on the 2007 Farm Bill was delayed again this week, with Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin citing “scheduling difficulties” as the reason for further postponing mark-up.
The ag committee was waiting on the Senate Finance Committee to markup the Heartland, Habitat, Harvest and Horticulture Act of 2007 which will extend some tax incentives for renewable energy; establish the Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund, a permanent disaster program; give beginning farmers and rural development some assistance; and provide funding for the 2007 Farm Bill.
Funding is THE main issue for the 2007 Farm Bill and everyone is asking for a bigger piece of the pie. The National Wildlife Federation, for example, is asking for an increase of six-billion dollars for conservation funding while the National 25x’25 Alliance wants more energy funding.
At this point, it appears the Farm Bill will now wait until after the Columbus Day recess, probably the week of October 22 - maybe longer. The 2002 Farm Bill has already expired but a temporary extension was passed authorizing funding until November 16.
Maybe if the Senate spent more time this week working on the farm bill and less time worrying about what Rush Limbaugh did or didn’t say it would be done by now. I’m sorry, but Rush is a talk show host, that’s his job. Our Senators need to do their jobs.