U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, is among 62 members from both sides of the aisle calling on House leadership to bring the 2012 farm bill to the floor.
Rooney, who chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, said the bill (HR 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act) is needed to help farmers suffering drought conditions in 29 states.
Droughts across the country, including Florida, are hurting farmers and driving up grocery prices for American families, Rooney stated in a release.
We cant change the weather, but we can pass a farm bill to make sure farmers have the tools and support they need to continue producing a safe, abundant and affordable food supply.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said during a media conference Thursday that no decision has been made to move on advancing the bill that would cost $957 billion over the next decade. The cost is $35 billion less than what would be expected to be spent under the current law.
While the bill expands and modifies crop insurance, the proposal cuts $16.5 billion to the food stamp program as part of a compromise.
Boehner, who has voted against the past two five-year farm bills, has called a provision in the bill concerning dairy supply management as Soviet-style.
Boehner has received support for his resistance to the bill from the Heritage Foundation.
"With our nations debt approaching $16 trillion, we cannot afford another $1 trillion boondoggle," stated Michael Needham, chief executive of Heritage.
"Nor can we continue, in the speakers words, Soviet-style farm programs that create perverse, market-distorting incentives."
The House Agriculture Committee backed the bill 35-11 last week and the Senate approved its version of the bill in June.
According to Rooney, the bill would:
Extend all livestock disaster programs that were provided under the 2008 farm bill and are scheduled to expire.
Protect and strengthen federal crop insurance.
Allow farmers to build in supplemental insurance coverage to erase high deductibles.
Reduce insurance premiums by letting farmers insure at the enterprise unit level.
Increase the yields a farmer can cover under a policy by adjusting actual production history to mitigate the effects of past disasters.
Meet the risk-management needs of underserved crops and areas.
The current farm law expires Sept. 30 and the members calling on leadership want the bill advanced now, before representatives return home for the August
district work period, so the items can be debated and conferenced.
Among the 38 Republicans and 24 Democrats that signed the bill was Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar.
Signers include: Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Robert Schilling (R-Ill.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas), Bill Owens (D-N.Y.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Tim Johnson (R-Ill.), Steve King (R-Iowa), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), David Loebsack (D-Iowa), Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Rick Berg (R-N.D.), Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Gregorio Sablan (D-MP), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.), Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), Sam Graves (R-Ga.), Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), Jeff Landry (R-La.), Martha Roby (R-Ala.), Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Tim Holden (D-Pa.), Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), Tom Latham (R-Iowa), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Sanford Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Dan Benishek (R-Mich.), Billy Long (R-Mo.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.), Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La), Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), Candice Miller (R-Mich).
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
