A large Capitol Hill rally organized by the major farm lobbies might be arriving too late to rescue the 2012 farm bill.
The House Agriculture Committee and the Senate have passed five-year bills authorizing hundreds of billions of dollars in spending on food stamps and the farm safety net, but House leaders have not yet shown a willingness to bring a version of the legislation to the floor.
The impasse in the House has given Wednesday morning’s Farm Bill Now rally a last-ditch feeling, coming as it does after a marathon lobbying effort that accompanied the development of the multiyear legislation.
“We are facing a pretty big mountain here, as far as agriculture goes,” said Phillip Hayes of the American Sugar Alliance.
Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union, said advocates are fighting an “uphill battle” that isn’t over yet.
“We are not satisfied with the amount of grassroots pressure that has come to bear,” Johnson said. “But I would also argue we are not done with grassroots pressure. Maybe that makes a difference, maybe not.”
There is talk in congressional leadership circles of passing a short-term extension of farm policies to buy time for a larger package. Barring that, the Senate might simply pass the limited drought-relief bill that was approved by the House before the August recess.
Read more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/248887-rally-supporting-farm-bill-might-be-too-little-too-late
The House Agriculture Committee and the Senate have passed five-year bills authorizing hundreds of billions of dollars in spending on food stamps and the farm safety net, but House leaders have not yet shown a willingness to bring a version of the legislation to the floor.
The impasse in the House has given Wednesday morning’s Farm Bill Now rally a last-ditch feeling, coming as it does after a marathon lobbying effort that accompanied the development of the multiyear legislation.
“We are facing a pretty big mountain here, as far as agriculture goes,” said Phillip Hayes of the American Sugar Alliance.
Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union, said advocates are fighting an “uphill battle” that isn’t over yet.
“We are not satisfied with the amount of grassroots pressure that has come to bear,” Johnson said. “But I would also argue we are not done with grassroots pressure. Maybe that makes a difference, maybe not.”
There is talk in congressional leadership circles of passing a short-term extension of farm policies to buy time for a larger package. Barring that, the Senate might simply pass the limited drought-relief bill that was approved by the House before the August recess.
Read more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/248887-rally-supporting-farm-bill-might-be-too-little-too-late
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