The process to reauthorize the Farm Bill is never easy, but this time around it has been more challenging than ever. The anticipation of the next five-year Farm Bill has been met with federal budget pressures and Congressional stalemate.

Senate Passes Farm Bill

This week, the United States Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013. The bipartisan vote was 66-27, with 18 Republicans joining the Democrats in the majority.  American Farmland Trust praised the Senate for passing the bill which includes reattaching conservation compliance with crop insurance premium assistance.

June 11, 2013

{Sent to each member of the House individually}

Dear:

The undersigned organizations applaud the House Committee on Agriculture for expeditiously moving forward on a five year farm bill.

The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013 (H.R. 1947) achieves spending cuts that reduce the Federal budget deficit, saving taxpayers $40 billion, including $6 billion through sequestration. It also repeals or consolidates more than 100 programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including Direct Payments to crop producers. Without passage of FARRM, no budget savings will be achieved beyond sequestration.

Final Senate Farm Bill Vote on Monday

The 2013 Farm Bill cleared yet another major hurdle on Thursday with the U.S. Senate voting 75-22 to invoke cloture, a procedure that limits debate and firmly establishes a timeline for a final vote.

Immediately after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that on Monday, June 10 one amendment #998 by Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., to establish a gigabit internet pilot program in rural areas, would be considered before a vote on final passage. American Farmland Trust and over 120 other agriculture, conservation and nutrition groups led a push to urge the Senate to approve the cloture vote.

PRESS RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 5, 2013 –American Farmland Trust (AFT) President Jon Scholl praised the introduction of H.R. 2260, The Crop Insurance Accountability Act of 2013, by Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.).

“AFT is pleased that Congressmen Thompson and Fortenberry are leading the effort to re-link conservation compliance with crop insurance premium assistance. Conservation compliance is a common-sense, reasonable policy that is good for the environment and good for farmers,” said Scholl.