Timing of Ag Appropriations Conference Committee Uncertain

August 23, 1999

There appears to be some uncertainty on Capitol Hill over just when the agricultural appropriations conferees will meet to iron our differences in the Senate and House bills. At stake is the $7.4 billion Senate aid package and an expected $7 billion aid package to be tabled by House members. If things get too complicated or drag on too long, the bill could get folded into an omnibus appropriations bill that makes final passage even more murky.

The House aid package, expected to be proposed by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), who probably will be one of the conferees, was not part of the House appropriations bill. Further complicating the conference process probably will be an attempt to include dairy provisions in the final bill.

National Milk Producers Federation officials have urged that "badly needed changes" in USDA's final milk marketing order reform rule be considered. Those changes include adjustments to the Class I and Class III pricing structure and a one-year extension of the milk price support program. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman has said he supports the one-year extension.

Also, it's expected that the full House will vote on a bill to mandate a milk pricing option considered more favorable to milk producer prices than the option included in USDA's final rule. That bill has 229 co-sponsors. A similar provision may be proposed in the conference committee.

With several major provisions likely to be debated by the conferees, the conference itself could become contentious and lengthy. Congress returns to business after Labor Day, providing less than a month to get appropriations bills into law before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

If the agricultural appropriations bill becomes part of an omnibus measure, the possibility of a veto by President Clinton becomes more likely, setting up another confrontation between the White House and Congress and raising the specter of a continuing resolution to keep the government's doors open beyond Oct. 1.

That also would mean a significant delay in getting any aid to farmers from the final version of the farm assistance package.