The first cut at the 2012 Farm Bill is expected to reach the House floor for a vote tomorrow. While it is still early, and the final bill will look very different than what they vote on Tuesday, American Farm Bureau has compiled some analysis on the legislation below. And remember, it is never too early to start communicating with your representatives in DC about your priorities for the 2012 Farm Bill.

FY 2012 Agriculture Spending Bill 

ISSUE: 

The House Rules Committee is expected to approve a rule for the fiscal year (FY) 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill tonight.  The bill will reach the House for a floor vote on Tuesday, June 14.  The bill is expected to be brought forward under an open rule, which allows for amendments.  To view the House Appropriations Committee report visit here.  A summary of the adopted Appropriation Committee amendments can be found here.  AFBF will notify state Farm Bureaus regarding additional actions as more amendment information becomes available.  AFBF will also send a letter to the House prior to the vote listing its concerns.  Farm Bureau has numerous concerns with this bill including:

Direct Payments:  The Appropriations Committee adopted Rep. Jeff Flake’s (R-Ariz.) amendment to prohibit funds for certain direct farm bill payments for applicants with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) exceeding $250,000.  

House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) intends to request that the Rules Committee strip this provision from the bill.  We believe he will be successful in convincing the Rules Committee that the amendment is not germane.

We also believe Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) will offer an alternative on the House floor to the payment limit amendment if Chairman Lucas is successful in the Rules Committee.   

Brazil Cotton Case:  Rep. Flake’s amendment to the House Ag Appropriations bill directs the secretary of agriculture to reduce direct payments to upland cotton growers by the amount necessary to offset the $147 million in payments by the Commodity Credit Corporation to the Brazil Cotton Institute.  Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s (D-Conn.) amendment directs that no funds from the Agriculture Appropriations bill be used to provide payments to the Brazil Cotton Institute.  The DeLauro amendment also redirects $147 million to the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program.

House Ag Committee Chairman Lucas intends to raise a point of order with the Rules Committee to strip the provisions from the bill.  We believe he will be successful in convincing the Rules Committee that the amendments are not germane.

We believe Rep. Flake will offer an alternative on the House floor regarding the Brazil Cotton Case amendment if Chairman Lucas is successful in the Rules Committee.  We also believe Rep. DeLauro will offer an alternative to the shift of $147 billion if Chairman Lucas is successful in the Rules Committee.

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA):  The Appropriations Committee did not change language in the bill that prohibits USDA from implementing a GIPSA rule on livestock and poultry marketing.  

Farm Bureau opposes this language.  Farm Bureau wants USDA to complete reviewing the 60,000 comments received and move forward with the proposed rule entitled “Implementation of Regulations Required Under Title XI of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008; Conduct in Violation of the Act.”  Farm Bureau also supports allowing USDA to continue its economic analysis of the rule.  

Horse Processing:  The Appropriations Committee adopted Rep. Jim Moran’s (D-Va.) amendment to prohibit funding for USDA inspections at U.S. horse processing facilities.  This amendment essentially prevents horse processing at these facilities.  

AFBF opposes.  AFBF supports federal funding for horse processing inspections, similar to the process for other species.  We are working with other groups to determine if there is sufficient support for a floor amendment to remove the language from the bill.

Broadband Program:  Farm Bureau is concerned with the removal of broadband funding from the distance learning, telemedicine and broadband program.  The lack of high-speed, modern Internet service in rural America prevents rural Americans’ access to educational, medical and business opportunities, and hampers the economic growth of rural America.  

AFBF would support an amendment offered to reinstate funding for broadband programs.

Biomass Crop Assistance Program:  Farm Bureau opposes the language that would prohibit funds from being used to administer or pay the salary of personnel who administer the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP).  BCAP provides assistance to support the production of eligible biomass crops on land within approved BCAP project areas.   

Wildlife Service:  Farm Bureau opposes any amendments that would reduce funding or restrict Wildlife Services programs.  Wildlife damage to U.S. livestock, aquaculture, small grains, fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products has been estimated at almost one billion dollars annually.  Wildlife Service works to prevent, minimize or manage this damage, and to protect human health and safety from conflicts with wildlife. 

Conservation Programs:  Farm Bureau is concerned with the large cuts to an important working lands program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.  Farm Bureau strongly supports working lands conservation programs.