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Thune: need for farm bill action is urgent

The clock is ticking and there is a sense of urgency for action to take place on the farm bill, according to Senator John Thune. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the South Dakota GOP lawmaker said it’s up to Senate Democratic leadership to schedule time for the full Senate to consider that chamber’s version of federal farm policy.

“It’s really a question of whether or not we’re serious enough about getting the new bill passed so that we don’t end up having to do an extension of the current bill when we hit that September 30 deadline,” said Thune, in Washington, D.C., “and it strikes me, at least, that if we are serious about not having to do an extension and getting a new farm bill put in place, that we’re going to have to move it through the Senate pretty soon.”

Add to that time for the House to pass its version of farm legislation and putting in place a conference committee to consider reconciling both versions. Thune, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, says there are a few election year ramifications to the farm bill, but they should not have a lot of bearing on its passage.

“I think the fact that we got $23 billion in savings in this farm bill is a good story and one that I think both sides would want to talk about and take credit for,” said Senator Thune, “and I think in farm country, they want to see a bill and they want to see Congress demonstrate that we can work together to achieve what in this case would be bi-partisan result.”

Just the same, Thune expects House debate about whether the Senate’s version of the farm bill achieves enough savings.

Thune acknowledges the regional differences brought out at the committee level, but he points out that that’s a fact of every farm bill.

“This farm bill recognizes that the planting shifts from cotton and rice to other crops, such as corn and soybeans, have created a different set of conditions than the last farm bill,” said Senator Thune. “That’s why it’s important that we base payments on actual planted acres rather than the current payment system, which uses base acres.”

AUDIO: Senator John Thune (7 min. MP3)

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