Senate Farm Bill - half a harvest.

The Senate passed the trillion dollar 2012 farm bill by a vote of 64-35 last week. All the ins and outs of this massive legislation are not yet clear, after all, much of the deal-making took place in a supercommittee that met in secret. The full Senate Agriculture Committee spent just three hours in deliberations.

Bob Goodlatte
for constituents or Big Ag?

According to analysts, the bill that finally emerged is, while not great, better than feared. It essentially preserves decades of policies that uses "insurance" to promote growing of soy, corn, and other commodities. Big Ag tried to knock out conservation provisions required for the insurance but an amendment that passed by a narrow 52-47 means farmers will have to meet some fundamental conservation guidelines to receive the taxpayer subsidized insurance. I already can hear Bobblehead Bob haranguing against too many regulations. But, I have to meet certain requirements for my car or homeowners insurance and it isn't even subsidized by taxpayers.

The bill also keeps many of the programs of Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food such as initiatives to help beginning farmers/ranchers and to help farmers realize more profits by adding value to their produce. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition highlights some of the good things that were preserved or added to the legislation on June 19 and on June 20. Since these programs are favored by the Obama administration, I imagine Bobblehead Bob, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, will automatically oppose them no matter what their impact on constituents. In this election year, politics will trump policy and I'm sure the House GOP leadership has already issued its marching orders.

We have a bicameral legislature and passage in the Senate doesn't guarantee anything. In the House of Representatives we can expect tea party wingnuts to push deep cuts to the Senate bill, especially for hunger programs like SNAP (food stamps), which was already cut in the Senate, and the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiatives. Big Ag, with its legions of lobbyists and deep pockets lavishing campaign and PAC contributions far and wide, will come out of this just fine. Their taxpayer subsidies and favorable treatment will assure their future profits. Ah, is that what you mean by "sustainable agriculture?"

More in a prior CCC post and at Mother Jones.

Ag on the chopping block?

The farm bill, a huge and complicated plan for the federal government's agriculture and hunger policy for five years, is set to expire on September 30. In case you missed it, that is a scant six weeks before what promises to be a hotly contested presidential election and fierce battles for control of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. In this supercharged partisan environment, what are the chances for a good farm bill emerging from Congress? What are the implications for farming areas like the Shenandoah Valley?

Both parties are promising austerity and with the House Republicans wielding a particularly sharp budget axe, it is likely that we'll see most programs under Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food curtailed or eliminated.  This USDA initiative promotes sustainable local agriculture by assisting in the creation of farmers' markets and urban farms, extending the growing season for high-value crops through the tunnel program, and partnering with schools and government agencies, and other groups. Interested in learning more - KYF Compass will direct you to programs in your home town.

At the same time Big Ag is pushing for changes in support for "big commodity" crops like cotton, soybeans, and corn. Currently these (mostly large and/or corporate) farmers receive direct payments (totaling about $5 billion per year) based on acreage planted. In return they promised conservation strategies to reduce erosion and wetlands draining. The GOP is pushing a revenue insurance plan that "promises" to save $1.5 billion per year but has no conservation provisions. The insurance will likely guarantee fairly high prices and if the market dips taxpayers would be on the hook - the $1.5 billion "savings" could go poof. Even worse, the big players and their allies like Syngenta will be encouraged to use more pesticides and to use fewer conservation practices.

In the Shenandoah Valley where many farms harken back to the days of "family farms," a new farm bill may have negative impacts on developing farmers markets (and those fledgling small farms that often sell produce at such markets), the Shenandoah Valley Beef Initiative, and other activities. And since many of the farmers don't raise those big commodity crops, they may be left out in the cold by the "insurance." As the debate continues one wonders where Bob Goodlatte, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, will stand. Will he talk (and listen) to all segments of the farm community in the 6th District or will his vote be influenced by big donors and worn Republican talking points? If his past behavior is any indication, Bobblehead Bob will dance to the tune of of those who pay his piper.

For more about the farm bill check out "The Worst Farm Bill Ever?" and The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. If you think it is time to replace this entrenched incumbent, check out this guy.