AgriCurrents, July 5, 2002


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				Ag appropriations battle looms
				The House Appropriations agriculture panel is expected to let the fiscal year 2003 agriculture appropriations bill slide through the subcommittee with little interference. But come time for full committee markup and floor action, those in the know say it's a good bet a turf battle will be in full swing. According to insiders, House appropriators are not very happy with the position they have been put in when it comes to doling out money for agriculture programs. Because the recently enacted farm bill made funding for many programs "mandatory," some House appropriators—the purse string tighteners and looseners—feel some of their power was stolen by the Agriculture Committee. And some have vowed to extract justice at the new farm law's expense. Appropriations member Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) is setting his sights on newly increased Environmental Quality Incentives Program spending limits that increased from $50,000 to $450,000. Latham said the new limits are ripe for review, saying "when you are giving mega hog lots $450,000 to build facilities, that's obscene." But House Ag Committee member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) said of the possible tinkering from the Appropriations panel: "There will be hell to pay. We worked very hard and stuck to the budget."
				USDA streamlines CRP, EQIP programs
				Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman has announced that USDA has streamlined and simplified the administrative processes for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which administer CRP and EQIP respectively, worked together on the change which allows NRCS or FSA the flexibility to proceed without the formal approval of the other agency. That will save time and reduce duplicative efforts. "We are trying to cut the red tape to get the job done and enable producers to participate in our conservation programs in a timely manner," Veneman said. "This kind of teamwork among USDA agencies is particularly critical as we implement the new Farm Bill." The new farm bill provides more than $17 billion in funding for conservation. It increases the acreage that can be enrolled in CRP to 39.2 million acres and increases EQIP funding to $6.1 billion.
				Global warming may mean more production
				A new U.S. government report found that global warming is likely to increase production of soybeans, cotton, sorghum and oranges in future decades. Because of slightly warmer temperatures caused by carbon emissions, the EPA report said farmers would need less irrigation water and more pesticides. Overall though, farmers won't see much change, EPA said. According to the report, "Based on studies to date, unless there is inadequate or poorly distributed precipitation, the net effects of climate change on the agricultural segments of the U.S. economy over the 21st century are generally projected to be positive." In the report, the Bush administration for the first time confirmed the widely held belief that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will rise over the next 20 years, in large part due to human activity.
				True chosen for 'Hall of Honor'
				Former TFB President S.M. True, Jr. is one of five prominent Texans selected for induction into the Texas Heritage Hall of Honor. The award is reserved for Texans who have distinguished contributions to agriculture and ranching, and will be presented on Sept. 27, the opening day of the 2002 State Fair of Texas. True was elected president of the Texas Farm Bureau in 1982 and re-elected for 10 consecutive terms. He has served as the governor's appointee to numerous agricultural committees and task forces. True produces cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans and wheat and raises beef cattle on his farm near Plainview. Others to be inducted into the Heritage Hall of Honor include: •Ben Carpenter, who developed Los Colinas on property that was originally part of the Carpenter family's Hackberry Creek Ranch. •Roy B. Davis, former CEO of the world's largest cotton oil gin. Davis died in 1975. •Eligio "Kika" de la Garza of McAllen, former chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. •Clarence Scharbauer, Sr., who headed up Scharbauer Cattle Company in Midland County, predecessor of the company that now ranks as one of the nation's largest. Scharbauer died in 1942.
				Notable Quotables "The American Farm Bureau Federation is deeply disappointed with the Senate's failure...to garner 60 votes for permanent repeal of the death tax. Farmers and ranchers, more than any other group of Americans, will be disproportionately harmed if this onerous and punitive tax continues to stay on the books. "For years, farm families from across the country have asked their senators and representatives to remove the threat of the death tax from their families' futures. Congress answered the call last year—but the fix was only temporary. The House recently approved a permanent elimination of the death tax. But while a majority of the Senate voted to permanently kill the tax, the count was short of the needed 60 votes. And the result: farm and ranch families will pay for this mistake through the millions of dollars in remittance to Uncle Sam and lawyer and accountant fees for otherwise unnecessary estate plans." —Statement by Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, regarding Senate rejection of permanent death tax repeal on June 12.