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Texas Agriculture Archive

August 2, 2002

Roundtable urges
continued ag funding

By Lana Robinson
Field Editor

Representatives of seven farm groups comprising the Commodity Roundtable held a news conference in Washington, D.C., July 16, to urge Congress to maintain adequate funding for the programs and policies established by the 2002 farm bill. Members of Congress have been considering the agriculture appropriations legislation that would fund the new law. Emphasizing that "farm programs will continue to help many farm families survive" low prices and rising production costs, American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman, a Columbus, Tex., rice and cattle producer, said, "We are here today pointing out the fact that we should not have structural changes that would harm the bill, especially in the implementation process. We're not even in the middle of the game, and some would try to change the rules in the middle of the first inning. That's not good."

Although the 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act was signed into law in May, Stallman pointed out that Congress needs to approve funding during the agriculture appropriations process in order to implement the bill's assistance programs. Changing payment limit levels and shifting already designated money toward weather disaster relief are among the issues that threaten to disrupt the funding balance achieved in farm bill negotiations.

The AFBF leader indicated that there is a degree of concern that people are sitting back and waiting, "trying to find a chink in the armor."

"We're not sure, but if one amendment passes, then there are other possibilities to move money around. We're afraid other things could come up. We are making the case that the farm bill is something that has been debated over two years, passed by Congress, and supported by the President and Administration," said Stallman.

The preceding week, AFBF and 21 other groups asked the House Appropriations Committee to resist substantial policy changes, saying they were "concerned that any proposals to modify the policies would undermine the effectiveness of the new law." Stallman said the groups were pleased the committee approved the 2003 agriculture funding bill without changes.

Other members of the Commodity Roundtable on hand at the July 16 news conference included the American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association and National Cotton Council of America, the U.S. Rice Producers' Group and the U.S. Rice Producers Association. All voiced the need to maintain the structure of the farm bill as recently passed and signed into law.

The general consensus among the groups was that the newly-passed farm bill provided meaningful support for conservation, and strikes a balance between budgetary constraints and commercial-size operations. Industry representatives said efforts to amend the legislation would be disastrous.

"A mid-year change would be bad. Most have just got started, gotten their loans together. FSA and USDA are just now getting the law where they can operate. We don't need a change during implementation," said Kenneth Hood, chairman, National Cotton Council of America Cotton and a grower from Gunnison, Miss.

Don Bransford of Colusa, Calif., a rice, prune and almond grower who currently serves as chairman of the U.S. Rice Producers' Group, also advocated preservation of provisions of the recently-enacted farm bill. He noted benefits to consumers and farmers, and said he felt cooperatives criticized for receiving payments had gotten a bad rap.

"A cooperative acts on behalf of thousands of farmers, who are the members and owners. It's the place where members' rice goes. Cooperatives do not retain any funds. The money goes back to growers...This is an aggregation of small type farmers. It gives them opportunities to market their crop," he said.

Ron Heck, vice president, American Soybean Association, a soybean and corn grower from Perry, Iowa, also urged Congress not to amend the 2002 farm bill this year.

"USDA is still working on the new regulations. The basis and yield under the new laws—we won't even know what that is until August. Farmers are already dealing with uncertainly. They don't need further changes that will confuse them," said Heck.

Rick Tolman, the National Corn Growers Association's chief executive officer, and Dusty Tallman, representing the National Association of Wheat Growers, both said "we ought to give it (farm bill) a chance to work."

Dwight Roberts, president/CEO, U.S. Rice Producers Association in Houston, agreed wholeheartedly.

"Our farmers are just stunned at the issue of the problems of enacting this current farm bill," said Roberts." "We don't believe the American consumer is willing to accept higher prices for food and fiber. If it is a vital part of national security as stated, it's time to prove it. Agriculture is on the brink of the endangered list. If we are to survive in global competition, where we are not on a level playing field, we need this farm bill."

Another farm bill development occurred July 11, when Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced that an additional $200 million will be provided between now and October for farmers and ranchers to enroll in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This and other developments marked the department's continuing progress in implementing the 2002 farm bill.

"These additional funds will enable farmers and ranchers to enhance and protect our nation's soil, air and water resources for the future by implementing sound conservation practices today," Veneman said.