Conaway: We’ll Make Sure The Farm Bill Happens

At a House Agriculture Committee farm bill listening session last week in Minnesota, Committee Chair Mike Conaway said the resounding message they’re hearing is the farm bill needs to provide an adequate safety net with the poor state of the farm economy.  However, Conaway said that means more of a tweak than an overhaul of the current program.

“Three big areas will be, cotton has to get back into Title 1, we have to address the dairy program, the Margin Protection Plan for milk, and the ARC county payment scheme, those are the big three.  And then the one new program that you hear a lot about today is the vaccine bank for foot and mouth disease

Conaway said the key will be finding the money for the farm bill.  He added the committee is facing a potential $10 billion cut based on the 2018 House budget.

“Once that’s finalized if in fact we wind up having to come up with $10 billion, then we will come up with $10 billion, all of the authorizing committees will.  The budget committee gave me great flexibility in making that happen if that’s the case, then we’ll make it happen.”

Conaway added he is committed to getting a farm bill done by the end of the year.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com