Farm Bailout Bill Getting Renewed Attention in Lame Duck Session
With little sign of a breakthrough on the farm bill in Congress, farm groups are shifting their attention to a proposed $21 billion bailout bill. Help is needed because high costs and lower commodity prices are sharply eroding farm income, they say. Successful Farming reports analysts are questioning whether the price tag for the proposed agricultural aid is too high to be accepted and say that in the relatively short lame-duck session under way, there may be room for only one piece of farm-related legislation.
The overarching issue for lawmakers is funding the government past December 20th, when a stopgap spending law expires.
“If Senator Stabenow continues to be an impediment to passing a full five-year farm bill, an extension will be necessary,” said a spokesman for House Agriculture Committee chairman Glenn Thompson last week. “Time will tell.”
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