Farm Bureau Urges Farm Bill Completion.

April 22, 2002

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman has urged House and Senate farm bill conferees to resolve their differences immediately and complete work on the farm bill in time for the 2002 crop season.

"Spring planting season is upon us," Stallman said. "Now is the time for the farm bill conferees to finish up their work on this key legislation. America's farmers and ranchers are counting on the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to come up with a farm bill that will help producers, the farm economy and the communities where we live."

In a letter to conferees, Stallman called on the representatives and senators to adopt key provisions of both the House and Senate passed measures including:

--Adoption of a House proposal offering fixed decoupled payments, loan rates, counter-cyclical programs and payment limits;

--Adoption of the Senate's proposal to fix loan rates in statute rather than allow them to fluctuate;

--Adoption of a plan to allow updated base acres and yields; and,

--Rejection of a Senate proposal to allow land into the Conservation Reserve Program in exchange for water leases.

Stallman said passage of a new farm bill is the only effective option for American agriculture. He said budget pressures that may lead to less money for a farm bill next year and the uncertainty tied to yet another emergency farm assistance package is "not in the best interest" of producers.

"America's farmers and ranchers have already waited too long in a period of uncertainty -- many of our lenders won't even approve production loans until the farm bill is enacted," Stallman said. "We urge immediate completion of the farm bill and its implementation for the 2002 crop year."