UPDATE - House to debate US farm law overhaul next week
Date: 26-Sep-01
Country: USA
The bill would boost farm subsidies by at least $43 billion over 10 years as well as renew the food stamp program, expand conservation funding and spell out spending levels for export and agricultural resarch programs.
Speaking at a news conference, Armey, a Texas Republican, included the farm bill among several items for action next week. Debate was likely to begin yesterday or Wednesday, congressional staff workers said.
Major disputes for the bill were expected to be a proposal to vastly increase conservation spending, possibly by curtailing traditional crop subsidies, and approving dairy-price cartels for 25 states.
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman was to testify on farm policy on Wednesday before the Senate Agriculture Committee, which has yet to write its farm bill.
Committee leaders issued a set of objectives for the farm bill yesterday, calling for "reasonable protection" for farmers against "damaging changes in economic conditions" and larger conservation spending, including "voluntary incentive-based programs for land in agricultural production."
The Bush administration, in unveiling its farm policy last week, gave its support to "green" payments to farmers who make land, water and wildlife stewardship part of their daily work.
It also would give top priority to expanding farm exports and would give more prominence to food safety, agricultural research and rural economic development.
Meanwhile, Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, Iowa Republican, suggested extending the "Freedom to Farm" law, which deregulated farming in 1996, for one year beyond its 2002 expiration.
"A one-year extension gives farmers two years to think ahead," Grassley said, because of the unsettled conditions following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
