December 4, 2000

The House Agriculture Committee will conduct hearings on commodity programs beginning in February. Republican staff members, in a meeting last week with commodity and general farm organization representatives, said committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) will ask for specific recommendations for modifications and improvements to commodity programs early in the year.

In addition to developing improved policy, committee spokesman emphasized importance of concerted effort to increase funding available to operate programs by increasing federal budget baseline available to agriculture programs. While committee will initially focus on commodity programs in effort to expedite legislative process, subcommittees will begin conducting hearings to prepare for updating other titles of farm law that expires in 2002.

The 106th Congress returns this week in an effort to complete work on remaining fiscal 2001 appropriations measures. Committee assignments for 107th Congress have not been completed.