Ag secretary Vilsack notes partisan divide on farm bill

WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said farm bill negotiations and stances between the two parties show that a bipartisan bill looks far from imminent.

Vilsack addressed attendees of the International Fresh Produce Association’s BB #:378962 Washington Conference June 11.

“I think we won’t have a farm bill until Congress gets more realistic about resources,” he said.

The House of Representatives, led by Republicans, passed a farm bill version last month that included a handful of Democrat votes, but not the majority. In it, more funds were allocated as increases to farmers than nutrition programs.

The Senate, led by Democrats, has not released a version, but Republican ranking member of the agriculture committee, John Boozman (R-AR) released a Republican framework document June 11, which has similar priorities for farmers with less emphasis on increasing nutrition programs.

Democrat ag leader Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has said in the past that she favors increases in nutrition funding, and she won’t pass a farm bill she doesn’t agree with.

“The [House Republicans] want to cut future SNAP spending and reallocate to a small group of farmers,” Vilsack said. “They use magic math. The Senate bill will be more realistic, within realistic parameters.”

IFPA CEO Cathy Burns said the good news for the produce industry is that every version of the farm bill so far has had spending gains for specialty crops.

The current farm bill expires September 30. It could continue past that date with temporary spending extensions. Or Congress could pass it after the November elections in a “lame duck” session, as the balance of political power could change in either or both houses in the next Congress starting in January.

Washington Conference attendees will visit with their representatives and Senators this week and are asking Congress members to prioritize support for the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance recommendations and pass a bipartisan farm bill this year.

In requesting help with nutrition and produce consumption, they’re also asking for expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, including more fresh produce in USDA procurement programs, increasing produce incentives in SNAP, and supporting the implementation of the updated WIC food package.

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