October 26, 2000

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) says he may call more hearings next year on new farm policy but this time he'll want specific proposals. So far, says Combest, he has no agenda of his own to promote for new farm policy directions, but he did indicate to reporters he is concerned that there is no consensus within the production agriculture community for the next farm law.

However, one area of consensus that has held over the past several years has been the concept of planting flexibility that was built into the 1996 farm law. It's doubtful the committee would tamper with that in the upcoming debate on a new law to be enacted at least by 2002.

Assuming the Republicans hold control of the House next year, Combest would return as chairman of the agriculture panel. If the House goes to the Democrats, Rep. Charles Stenholm (D-TX) would be the chairman and Combest the ranking minority member.

Combest said he's not so concerned about the agriculture committee leadership, but he is concerned about some of the Democrats who might take over committees with jurisdictions outside farming but still with an impact on farmers and their families.

The real test of the latest reforms to the crop insurance program will come with sign-up for the fall- seeded crops, he said. So far the response seems to be greater than in previous years, he said.

Future farm policy, he said, would have to be developed so that the huge farm assistance packages, $25 billion over the last three years, can be avoided, he said.

The committee can be expected to address increasing crop price supports, expanding conservation programs, idling crop acres and other steps to help farm prices and income, he said, but the next round of hearings should include specific ways agricultural interests prefer to achieve those goals.