LANSING – Michigan corn farmers today applauded the work of the U.S. House of Representatives for quickly approving the 2014 Farm Bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014, with a 251-166 vote. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Scott Lonier, President of the Michigan Corn Growers Association, said the efforts of Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and other members of Congress should be applauded.
?We appreciate the work by Senator Stabenow to develop a well-crafted 2014 farm bill and her efforts during the legislative process to get it approved in the House,? said Lonier, a corn farmer from Lansing. ?While we understand that this was a long process, we commend the work of House members and ag industry leaders in coming together to pass a common-sense bill.?
Martin Barbre, President of the National Corn Growers Association, also praised the House after observing Wednesday?s floor vote from the gallery during a visit to Capitol Hill.
?We?re thrilled to see today?s action on the part of the House and look forward to an equally fast consideration in the Senate,? Barbre said. ?This legislation provides an adequate and flexible farm safety net, as well as a strong federal crop insurance program. More importantly, farmers need the certainty of a new five-year law, and we are happy to see this legislation includes many reforms we?ve supported and stressed over the years, reforms that make sense both for farmers and taxpayers.?
Among other specific provisions, the bill:
Eliminates controversial direct payments while maintaining decoupled farm support programs that will minimize the possibility of planting and production distortions that could trigger new World Trade Organization challenges.
Allows farmer to either maintain existing crop acreage base or to reallocate their current base to reflect average acres planted to covered commodities in 2009-2012, a reform that will make programs more relevant and more defensible while not tying them to current-year plantings.
Consolidates 23 previous conservation programs into 13, and focuses conservation efforts on working lands. It also ties conservation compliance for wetlands and highly erodible land to premium support for crop insurance.
Maintains authorizations for important agricultural research programs, including AFRI, as well as including a new Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research that will provide a structure and mandatory funding for new public/private partnerships and investments that will further USDA?s research mission.
Maintains authorizations and funding levels for export promotion, including the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program and the Market Access Program (MAP).
