Almost Opposite Reactions to Lugar Bill

The National Farmers Union (NFU) expressed reservations about a farm bill proposed Wednesday by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN). NFU said it was concerned that the phase-out of commodity supports "is not the right direction in policy, considering today's commodity price crisis that is out of the control of family farmers and ranchers." Farmers Union commended Lugar for addressing several needed changes in today's farm policy. The family farm and ranch organization supports the proposal's efforts to target farm program benefits to those who most need them instead of directing benefits in a way that has led to increased concentration in the agriculture and food industries. Government policy should not drive consolidation, the organization said. NFU also commended Lugar for his support of expanded conservation, research the food stamp program and rural development. However, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) President Tom Schatz unequivocally applauded Lugar for introducing farm legislation that would provide "real reform of crop subsidy programs. It is encouraging to see that at least one senator is willing to object to the 'stampede to subsidize' that resulted in an unwise, unsound piece of legislation being adopted by the House of Representatives. " CCAGW believes that it is "premature to consider the farm bill," since it does not expire until next September. "The Senate should dismiss the irresponsible actions of the House and take the time to allow a thoughtful, thorough approach to developing a farm bill that not only assists all American farmers, ranchers and producers to compete in the global marketplace, but also considers the farm bill's impacts on American consumers, taxpayers, and the environment," Schatz said. "While the 1996 Farm Bill had finally, after 60 years, begun the process of moving toward dismantling depression-era agriculture programs, the recent House passage of H.R. 2646, the Farm Security Act of 2001, represents a dramatic backward step in farm policy. It completely abandons the concept of ending the agriculture sector's dependency on the largesse of the U.S. taxpayer that was to be accomplished by 'freeing America's farmers,'" he added. "H.R. 2646 not only continues to subsidize the same old products through so-called market transition payments, but in addition to those subsidies, it brings back the old target price/deficiency payment system eliminated in the 1996 Farm Bill, and calls these 'countercyclical' payments. In addition, H.R. 2646 restores other subsidies Congress had actually managed to eliminate in the past and also creates new subsidies for products that have never before been subsidized." CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a taxpayer advocacy group with more than one million claimed members and supporters nationwide. It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.