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Center for Rural Affairs: Senate Farm Bill is better, but could still use work

The executive director for the Center for Rural Affairs says the Senate Ag Committee’s draft farm bill is a major improvement over the House version.

“The Senate bill improves how conservation programs work and how they work together,” he says. “The bill also combines several important programs for beginning farmers and for local and regional food development.”

But, Brian Depew tells Brownfield the group is concerned by proposed budget cuts to some conservation programs.

“Working lands conservation provides farmers and ranchers payments and support and cost share for implementing conservation,” he says.

He says they would also like to see the bill address “loopholes” in commodity payments.

“Right now there are loopholes that allow non-farm investors to collect pretty much unlimited payments from farm programs,” he says.

The Senate Ag Committee is meeting today to mark up its draft of the Farm Bill.

Audio: Brian Depew, Center for Rural Affairs