Congress May Revisit Farm Bill by Years End

Dairy Foods, March, 2001 by J. Mark Huffman

Congress appears dead-set on enacting a new comprehensive farm bill this year, even though current legislation doesn't expire until 2002. Tom Daschle (D-SD), the Democratic leader of the Senate, has introduced a "sense of the Senate" resolution calling for Congress to enact a new farm bill in the first year of the 107th Congress. The House and Senate agriculture committees have already tentatively scheduled hearings for this spring, with dairy producers among the farm interests set to testify. "I think Congress would like to address the low price issue as soon as possible and help producers in need," said Kathleen Nelson, Director of Legislative Affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association. The House Agriculture Committee was scheduled to meet Feb. 14-15 to "review the current state of the farm economy and the economic impact of federal policy on agriculture." At press time those meetings were just starting. Also Republican Larry Combest (R-Texas) said he believes the Farm Bill will be negotiated next year as originally scheduled.

J. Mark Huffman is Dairy Foods' Washington correspondent.