News

2012 Farm Bill discussions near

The American Soybean Association is already gearing up for the 2012 Farm Bill. They’ve established a 2012 Farm Bill Working Group to develop policies they feel are important to the nation’s soybean growers. ASA leaders recently met with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson to discuss his plans to begin 2012 Farm Bill hearings in Washington this month.

For his part, Senate Agriculture Committee member Charles Grassley of Iowa has his own take on beginning discussions on the 2012 Farm Bill.

“[It’s] just plain too early to talk about it, unless we’re talking about in a defensive way to make that what’s going on the budget right now doesn’t affect the safety net for agriculture,” said Grassley, during a conference call to reporters Tuesday. When the time is right, however, Grassley says let the hearings begin.

“I think it’s very, very important for somebody like me, as a hired man for the people of Iowa, to make sure that we have plenty of hearings and get feedback from farmers on the next farm bill,” he said.

ASA President Rob Joslin says the organization’s working group includes members with experience in farm policy, crop and revenue insurance, bioenergy, ag research, and trade. It also includes past ASA leaders who’ve been involved in previous farm bill debates.

Joslin says that House Agriculture Committee Chairman Peterson indicated that after the initial hearings in Washington in April, he plans to hold field hearings across the country in May and June 2010. Then in early 2011, the Committee may hold additional hearings in Washington before marking up its bill in the summer and passing it in the House in the fall of 2011. 

He says Peterson anticipates the Senate will mark up its version of the farm bill before the August recess in 2012 in order to complete conference with the House before the end of September of that year, when the 2008 Farm Bill expires.

Excluding food stamps and nutrition programs, total agriculture spending for the farm income safety net, crop insurance, conservation and export programs is just one-half of one percent of Federal government spending.

The following grower leaders will serve on the 2012 ASA Farm Bill Working Group: Johnny Dodson, Halls, Tenn., Chair; Dan Feige, Goodwin, S.D.; Ted Glaub, Jonesboro, Ark.; Mark Jackson, Rose Hill, Iowa; Ron Kindred, Atlanta, Ill.; Lance Peterson, Underwood, Minn.; Andy Welden, Jonesville, Mich.; Steve Wellman, Syracuse, Neb., and ASA Past Presidents Rick Ostlie, Northwood, N.D. and John Long, Newberry, S.C. Joslin and ASA First Vice President Alan Kemper from Lafayette, Ind., who Chairs ASA’s Public Affairs Committee, will serve ex officio on the Working Group.