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2012 Farm Bill faces “stiff headwinds”

The head of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives says the 2012 Farm Bill faces “stiff headwinds.”  NCFC President and CEO Chuck Conner told farm broadcasters at the annual NAFB Washington Watch that the upcoming Farm Bill will be the most challenging there has ever been. With the budget deficit problem, he says, there WILL be cuts in ag spending.

“You know if there’s anybody out there that is telling you that there’s somehow manna from heaven coming down in terms of Farm Bill resource dollars, boy, I’ll tell ya, I just do NOT see that,” Conner says.

Conner doesn’t see the parties working together to maintain the viability of farm programs in the current divisive political environment.

“The House has already done their number but the Senate’s not going to take that number.”

Heading into a presidential election year, Conner says it’s very possible that the 2012 Farm Bill may turn into a 2013 Farm Bill and commodity groups are beginning to rally against that. With all these issues, though, he says farmers and ranchers have very capable leaders working on their behalf, “Stabenow, Lucas, Roberts and Collin Peterson, I mean, that’s an A-team.”

AUDIO: Chuck Connor speaks at NAFB Washington Watch in DC (48:00 mp3)

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