“No bill is perfect, and that includes this one,” Villwock said. “But it does provide additional risk management tools for grain, livestock and fruit and vegetable farmers while still saving taxpayers’ money – about $23 billion over 10 years.” Most of the savings come from the elimination of direct cash payments to farmers.
Farmers desperately needed to know what to expect from the federal farm program before making planting decisions this spring, Villwock noted. The bill that was passed today does provide a degree of assurance and stability, he said.
Villwock also expressed appreciation to the conferees, who have been working for months to craft a bipartisan compromise, and to the members of the Indiana congressional delegation who voted for the bill. It has been a long and drawn-out process and their efforts to listen and to be supportive of needed reforms is much appreciated, Villwock said.
“It’s been a long, hard debate,” Villwock noted. “The most important role of a farm bill is providing a basic, no-frills safety net for farmers when times are hard, and we believe that even with its flaws, this bill will do just that.”
Donnelly: Many Hoosier Priorities in Bipartisan Farm Bill Agreement
Bipartisan majority of Senate approves bill, heads to President for signature
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Joe Donnelly Tuesday noted the many Hoosier priorities included in the final bipartisan, five-year farm bill. The bill passed the Senate with a vote of 68 to 32 and now heads to President Obama for his signature.
“The Hoosier ag community now has the certainty it deserves,” said Donnelly. “There are a number of provisions in this bill important to Indiana, and I look forward to continuing to work with our state’s farmers and rural communities. I am proud of the work our farmers do to feed their fellow Hoosiers and the world—as well as produce homegrown energy to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.”
Donnelly advocated for a number of provisions important to Hoosiers during the farm bill debate. Several are in the final bill, including:
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Expanding crop insurance coverage for crops grown for feedstocks to produce biofuels, electricity, or biobased products;
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Improving the process of setting conservation technical assistance funding levels by giving USDA the authority to set the levels, not OMB;
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Establishing a pilot program to allow canned or frozen fruits and vegetables to participate in school snack programs;
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Protecting full planting flexibility by eliminating any permanent base reduction for planting fruits or vegetables; and
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Prohibiting the EPA from requiring Clean Water Act permits for storm water runoff associated with timber harvesting, nursery operations, pest control, reforestation and logging road use, construction and maintenance.
Coats announces support for Farm Bill Agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.)Monday (Feb. 3) announced that he will vote for the bipartisan farm bill agreement the Senate is considering this week.
“It has been nearly six years since Congress last authorized a farm bill, and Indiana’s agriculture community has waited long enough,” said Coats. “While not perfect, this legislation provides Hoosier farmers with the certainty they need for the next five years.”
Coats supported the Senate version of the farm bill in 2013. The legislation under consideration this week represents a compromise between the Senate-passed bill and an alternative farm bill passed by the House of Representatives last year. The conference report to the Agricultural Act of 2014 passed the House 251 to 166 on January 29.
“This farm bill contains over $16 billion in cost savings, reforms outdated programs and reduces food stamp abuse,” said Coats. “It also provides a broad safety net in the event of a natural disaster and includes my idea to allow Indiana specialty crop producers the flexibility they need to respond to market signals when making planting decisions.”
The current farm bill:
- Saves a total of $16.6 billion by ending direct payments, merging conservation programs and addressing fraud and abuse in food stamps programs;
- Reinvests $10 billion of savings into crop insurance and rural development programs; and
- Includes an idea Senator Coats pushed for that frees fruit and vegetable growers, including Hoosier tomato growers, from previous acreage planting restrictions, giving them the flexibility they need to meet demand.
