Today members of the U.S. House and Senate began conference committee negotiations on the farm bill. The last five-year farm bill expired in 2012, and the latest extension of most federal farm programs (except for some related to conservation and sustainable agriculture) lapsed on September 30. Two Iowans are on the 41-member conference committee: Democratic Senator Tom Harkin and Republican Representative Steve King (IA-04).

One issue is likely to dominate the Congressional talks: funding levels for nutrition programs, especially the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. This summer, both Harkin and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley voted for the Senate farm bill, which cut SNAP by about $4 billion over 10 years. Iowa’s four U.S. House members split along party lines when the House approved a Republican bill with $39 billion in cuts over the same time frame. Keep in mind that regardless of what happens in the farm bill talks, all SNAP recipients–including an estimated 1 million veterans and approximately 421,000 Iowans–will see their food assistance reduced as of November 1. Click here for a detailed report on those cuts, which will occur as extra funding from the 2009 federal stimulus bill runs out.

After the jump I’ve posted the latest comments about the farm bill from Iowa politicians.

UPDATE: Added King’s opening statement from the conference committee meeting below.

SECOND UPDATE: Added new comments from Harkin.

I haven’t seen any new statements this week from King or Harkin, but King has previously praised the House version of the farm bill, while Harkin adamantly opposes deeper cuts in food assistance programs. After being named to the conference committee on October 12, King said, “I look forward to robust conversations with the Senate conferees and moving forward to reconcile our differences. It is time to give the farmers of America the five years of federal agriculture policy predictability they deserve by finally sending a Farm Bill to the President’s desk.”

Senator Chuck Grassley released this statement today.

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry today made the following statements before the first official meeting of the farm and food bill conference committee later today.  Grassley and Fortenberry authored provisions in the Senate and House bills to establish a farm payment cap of $250,000.  The Senate and House bills also tighten loopholes that have allowed some non-farmers to game the system.  In addition, the Government Accountability Office recently released a report outlining many of the current shortcomings of the eligibility rules for farm programs.  The report also says that the legislative language in the Senate and House passed farm bills would be an appropriate fix to the agency’s findings.    

Grassley and Fortenberry maintain that the farm payment provisions are nearly identical in the two bills, and should not be up for negotiation.

Grassley comment:

“Our reform is common-sense.  Not only does it end some of the most egregious abuses of the farm program and make sure that the farm program payments are going to those who need them most, but it saves money.  It’s a win-win for everybody.   When 22 people are getting farm payments for the same farm, and 70 percent of the farm payments go to 10 percent of the biggest farms, we’ve got a problem.  Some members of the conference committee have already made clear of their intention to remove the reforms.  By removing the payment limits and the provisions to close loopholes, these members are only making the safety net more susceptible to criticism and vulnerable to elimination.  The safety net is important to a safe and affordable food supply for the country, and it would be short-sighted to allow such a parochial mindset to undermine an important and necessary policy.”  

Fortenberry comment:

“After many years of discussion, farm payment limitations reform finally has a chance to become law.  More robust payment limits help farm supports reach intended recipients and close loopholes. In this time of tight budgets, the need for this type of fair reform is even greater. With the opportunity for new farm policy under negotiation between the House and Senate, payment limits should remain a key piece of the overall package. It is my hope that this important provision will carry forward into the final Farm Bill.”

Specifics of the payment limits provisions:

·         The bills establish a per farm cap of $50,000 on all commodity program benefits, except those associated with the marketing loan program (loan deficiency payments and marketing loan gains), which would be capped at $75,000.  Thus the combined limit would be $125,000, or, for married couples, $250,000.  The $50,000 cap would apply to whatever type of program is developed as part of the new farm and food bill.

·         The bills would define clearly the scope of people who are able to qualify as actively engaged by only providing management for the farming operation.  The bill will allow one off-farm manager, but only one.  Landowners who share rent land to an actively-engaged producer remain exempt from the “actively engaged” rules provided their payments are commensurate to their risk in the crop produced.

On October 24, Grassley’s office sent out a “Q&A” about the farm bill, including this passage:

The clock is ticking for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to renew the federal farm and food bill that would set public policy for agriculture, nutrition, conservation, disaster assistance and rural development for the next five years.  In fact, nearly 80 percent of the funding is geared towards nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or food stamps), the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, and other food-assistance programs for seniors and children.  Only about 20 percent of the funding for the farm and food bill is directed towards agriculture programs.  Farm and food policy have been linked for decades in order to secure political support for both.  That pairing is likely to continue, at this point, but I don’t like farmers getting the blame for the spending in the bill when agriculture programs receive a minor percentage of the funding. The most recent law expired September 30, and until Congress reaches an agreement, a quirk in the law automatically reverts federal farm policy to permanent Depression-era laws adopted in 1938 and 1949.  Lawmakers now must iron out the differences between their respective versions before Congress sends a final bill to the White House for the President’s signature.    It’s time to get the job done.  Congress needs to pass a farm and food bill that will give farmers the certainty they need to plan for the next planting season and maintain sound stewardship of financial and natural resources upon which their livelihood and way of life depends.

Today Representative Dave Loebsack (D, IA-01) castigated House leaders for scheduling yet another recess.

Loebsack: Simply Unacceptable for Congress to Recess

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack today called on the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, to cancel the upcoming recess and keep the House in session to deal with many important issues that Iowans are demanding action on. Everything from the Farm Bill and the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), to a bipartisan budget and a commonsense agreement to create jobs and grow the economy, have yet to be dealt with. After the House recesses today for a 12 day district work period, it is only scheduled to be in session and voting for 16 days through the end of the year.

“On the heels of irresponsible and reckless manufactured crises that took our economy to the brink and slowed economic growth, news reports indicate that instead of redoubling efforts to rebuild the economy and boost job creation, the House Majority is considering reducing the already paltry number of work days scheduled in the House for the rest of the year.  Such a proposal is simply unacceptable,” Loebsack wrote to Speaker Boehner. “I call you on to keep the House in session and working every day to get the work of the American people done.  I stand ready to continue to work on a bipartisan basis to move these critically important initiatives forward.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

Representative Bruce Braley (D, IA-01) highlighted the urgent need to pass a new farm bill while visiting Iowa last week. From an October 21 press release (emphasis in original):

Braley Tours East Central Iowa Co-Op & Discusses Urgent Need for New Farm Bill with Local Farmers

Gets firsthand accounts of how the Farm Bill Sept. 30 expiration is affecting Iowa’s economy

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today toured the East Central Iowa Co-Op facility in Cedar Falls and met with local farmers to talk about the immediate need for a new Farm Bill and the impacts they’ve felt since the Farm Bill expired on September 30.

“Congress should be working every day to help the economic recovery, not jeopardize it,” Braley said. “One threat to Iowa’s economy passed with the end of the government shutdown. But the expiration of the Farm Bill continues to threaten predictability and stability in agriculture, the strongest sector of the Iowa economy. Congress should focus right now on coming together around a new Farm Bill because it will help create jobs and strengthen Iowa’s economy.”

The East Central Iowa Co-Op provides grain, feed, agronomy, seed and energy products and services at their facilities in Cedar Falls, Hudson, Jesup, La Porte City and Waterloo. ECI Co-Op has 1,000 members and right now it’s currently taking delivery of approximately 20-30 truckloads of grain per day.

Local farmers discussed the economic impacts they’ve experienced since the Farm Bill expired on September 30 due to Congressional inaction. When the Farm Bill expired, farm programs reverted to back those in the 1949 version of the law.

The Senate passed a comprehensive, bipartisan Farm Bill early this summer. Over the past several months, Braley has repeatedly urged Speaker John Boehner to bring up the bipartisan Senate Farm Bill for a vote in the US House. In July, Braley asked the Speaker to postpone August recess until the House passed a long-term, bipartisan Farm Bill.

Last month, Braley called on Speaker Boehner to follow through on a promise to start negotiations on a Farm Bill compromise before the law expired at the end of September. Last week, Boehner finally appointed House members to the so-called “conference committee” to work with Senate members to reach an agreement on a bipartisan Farm Bill. However, the House has no immediate plans to take a vote on a Farm Bill agreement.

On October 29, Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds released this open letter:

Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds Renew Encouragement for Farm Bill Passage

October 29, 2013

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today released a letter to farm bill conference committee leaders renewing their call for the U.S. Congress to enact a farm bill reauthorization. The letter applauded the recent appointment of farm bill conferees, including Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Steve King. This letter reiterates the message in a previous letter from Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Department of Natural Resources Director Chuck Gipp earlier this year that a farm bill is important to rural America.

In the letter the Governor and Lt. Governor state: “We applaud both chambers for moving forward significant programmatic reforms that improve risk management and focus and improve the sustainability of relevant farm programs.  Given the current fiscal environment, we appreciate the hard decisions before you, but believe you will meet the challenge of forging a bipartisan compromise that respects each side’s principles.  Your work can help improve the efficacy and efficiency of various farm bill programs. In addition, you have an opportunity to shepherd through a significant piece of legislation which would demonstrate Congress’s commitment to rural America.

The letter continues: “As leaders of a key agricultural state where the fall harvest is currently underway, we urge you to pass a bipartisan, long-term farm bill out of conference that meets the needs of our agricultural producers and American consumers.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

The Iowa Senate quickly responded with this statement:

Governor’s “vague, feel good” farm bill statement fails to address the elephant in the room

(Des Moines)  State Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines, a successful advocate of state help for Iowa food banks and the floor manager of a tax credit for farmers that donate produce to food banks, has issued this statement in response to Governor Branstad’s comments on the farm bill debate:

It will take more than a vague, feel good statement to pass the farm bill.  Governor Branstad, as a Republican, can make a difference by calling on House Republicans to stop blocking assistance to hungry families and children.  The farm bill is stalled because House Republicans removed food aid that has always been part of this legislation.

“Governor Branstad, I heard you speak at the Iowa Hunger Summit less than two weeks ago, praising Republican Governor Bob Ray’s work to prevent hunger.  Have you already forgotten this month’s report that showed more than a quarter of Iowans have been unable to buy food and almost half know a family member, neighbor or friend who is at risk of hunger?  It is time to use your voice to help pass the farm bill and feed hungry Iowans.”

UPDATE: Press release from King’s office, October 30 (emphasis in original):

Washington, DC – Congressman Steve King released the following remarks after delivering his opening statement at the first House-Senate Conference Committee Meeting on H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013:

To watch Congressman King’s full opening statement at the House-Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee meeting, click here.

“As we begin the conference process, I hope we can work together across the aisle to resolve the many issues critical to our farmers and ranchers around the country,” said King. “It’s time for Congress to give our producers the predictability that they deserve. We need to do that by passing a five year farm bill, as soon as possible, and I’m honored to represent one of the most productive agriculture districts in America as we work towards that end.”

No sign yet that King is willing to give up on the big cuts in food assistance that House Republicans demand.

SECOND UDPATE: Radio Iowa reports,

Harkin says, “One House provision would offer states a financial incentive to throw poor households off the food stamp program, including kids, if a parent cannot find a job or a job training slot.” The farm bill’s passage is “critical” to Iowa, Harkin notes, as agriculture-related enterprises account for nearly one in every five Iowa jobs and almost one-quarter of the state’s economic output.

Harkin insists the Senate’s proposal to cut $4.9-billion [$3.9 billion] from SNAP over ten years is the one that needs to be adopted for the final version of the farm bill. “The small cuts that we made in the SNAP program were supported by Democrats and Republicans,” Harkin says. “We had a bi-partisan agreement. The $40-billion cut that the House made was only supported by Republicans. They didn’t have one Democrat support that.”