A report just released by the Center for Rural Affairs shows farmer’s farm bill priorities as the conference committee works on the final language. Farmers indicated they want the Conservation Stewardship Program preserved in the final law. The Center’s Policy Program Associate Cora Fox says CSP was eliminated in the House farm bill, while the Senate kept it intact. She says their survey respondents support it overwhelmingly.
She says another major priority is making sure the payment limits-actively engaged provision contained in the Senate farm bill is a part of the final legislation.
Fox says a new farm bill must be approved by the conference committee before the present measure expires at the end of September.
Fox says it will be a challenge for conferees to come together on a final package with big differences between the two farm bills, especially with the conservation provisions, payment limits and the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
