The 2008 Farm Bill Extension and 2013 Farm Bill

The uncertainty for the passage of a five year Farm Bill in the 112^th Congress came to an end on New Year’s Day with the passage of H.R. 8 The American Taxpayer Relief Act.  The bill was passed to avoid the fiscal cliff, a collection of spending cuts and tax increases that might have plunged the country into another recession, and included a 9 month partial Farm Bill extension. 

The extension only includes basic tenants of the Farm Bill and failed to reauthorize and fund several programs. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has a blog post with a very detail explanation as to why the Farm Bill extension is so awful. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack stated in his interview with NPR that those reliant on Farm Bill programs “…are now faced with uncertainty with how the policies might be, [they are faced with] uncertainty with how much support will ultimately be available once a five year bill is eventually past.”

Looking to the future, Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said in an interview that she expects to pass a Farm Bill in the coming months. The bill may be marked up in the Senate committee as early as February and should include a minimum of $24 billion of deficit reduction. On the House side, Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) said during the Agriculture Committee's organizational meeting on January 22nd that "...this is a new Congress and a new opportunity to pass a new Farm Bill." House Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) is leading an effort to block a Farm Bill markup without the assurance from the House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) that the bill will see floor time. He expressed some of his frustration during the organizational meeting. 

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Congress Prevents The Fiscal Cliff By Creating Another Cliff

Early in the morning on New Year's Day, Congress passed legislation to avert the ominous "fiscal cliff", a combination of spending cuts and tax increases that could have reverted the nation into a recession. The bill is now on its way to President Obama's desk to be signed.

In the Senate, the bill passed by a vote of 89-8 with 3 Democrats and 5 Republicans voting against the bill. The House passed the bill by a vote of 257-167 with 16 Democrats and 151 Republicans voting against the cliff deal.

The fiscal cliff deal, officially H.R. 8, The American Taxpayer Relief Act, includes the following provisions:

- Permanently extends Bush tax cuts for the majority of taxpayers. Taxes will increase on individuals making $400,000 or more and couples making $450,000 or more.

- Taxes on capital gains and dividends will remain the same for individuals making less than $400,000 and households with an income of less than $450,000. The top tax rate of capital gains will increase from 15% to 20%.

- Tax exceptions will be phased out for individuals making $250,000 or more and families earning more than $300,000.

- Delays sequestration cuts for 2 months. The delay will be paid for with savings from adjustments in federal pensions as well as cuts in discretionary and military spending.

- One year extension for unemployment insurance.

- One year "Doc Fix" that prevents 27% cut in physicians' reimbursement for Medicare.

- Estate tax will increase from 35% to 40% for the first $5 million in assets.

- Alternative Minimum Tax will permanently be tied to inflation.

- Five year extensions of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

- Business tax breaks.

- Nine month Farm Bill extension.

- Congressional pay freeze.

Although the nation did not fall off the cliff, the fiscal cliff deal may have setup a future crisis that the 113th Congress will need to tackle in the coming months. The crisis will be the simultaneous enactment of sequestration cuts and the debt limit expiration. Additionally, the FY13 budgeting CR will expire a few weeks after.  Prepare for the fiscal cliff 2.0.

Farm Bill Expires in 17 Days- Uncertainty Continues

Congress has returned from its August district work period and the Farm Bill continues to have a very uncertain future. Yesterday, the Farm Bill Now Coalition of 80 organizations held a rally in Washington D.C. that was well attended by farmers and ranchers from all over the country. Much of the country wants a bill to be passed, but there is still uncertainty about how Congress will move forward.  Below are the possible scenarios for the Farm Bill.

·         Five year Farm Bill is passed- The goal would be to have a five year Farm Bill passed and sent to the president before October 1. Unfortunately, this would be extremely difficult with the few legislative days left before the elections and the House leaderships’ unwillingness to risk a divided party. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) is now pushing for the House to pass a five year bill so that a conference can occur and a bill can be passed in November after the elections. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) and Rep. Kristi Noem (R-ND) are attempting to go around House leadership by filing a discharge petition. If their petition receives 218 signatures, then the bill could move to the floor to be debated and voted on.

·         One year extension and a separate draught assistance bill- This seems to be the answer that leadership in the House is really pushing for. Although a straight continuation of the Farm Bill would allow many programs to expire, a modified version will likely be put forth after the elections. The House has already passed a draught assistance bill, but the Senate is unlikely to take up this bill. The Senate’s argument is that draught assistance is included in the five year Farm bill already passed in the Senate and a one year extension will not bring certainty to the Agricultural sector.

·         No bill is passed- This is the worst case scenario. In this situation, the Farm Bill expires on October 1 and Congress fails to act to pass either an extension or a five year bill. Agricultural laws would revert back to laws from the 1940s. Some have said that this would not be that disastrous because most programs would continue to run until spring time when the farmers begin to harvest.

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House to Begin Work on the Farm Bill Next Week

Last week, the House Agriculture Committee passed its most recent activities report for the third quarter of 2012. Additionally, the Agriculture appropriations bill was scheduled to get floor time but the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill and the Highway reauthorization bill took up most of the floor time last week. This is a missed opportunity as the debates during the Agriculture appropriations bill would have given us a glimpse of potential issues to be raised during the Farm bill reauthorization.

Although Congress is in recess this week, the House Agriculture committee will release the draft version of the Farm bill by the end of the week, most likely Thursday. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling, House leadership has scheduled a symbolic repeal vote of the Affordable Care Act on the same day as the Farm bill markup. House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) has made it clear that he will be moving forward with the July 11 Farm bill markup.

The House Farm bill will contain some similarities to the Senate version and will look to spend around $900 billion. There will be significant differences that Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking member Pat Roberts (R-KS) anticipate will be worked out during conference. Differences include:

1.      SNAP- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be an issue in conference as the House will make significantly larger cuts from this program than the Senate bill has made.

2.      Southern Commodity- A National Journal article does a great job describing the conflict between regional farmers in the Farm bill. To paraphrase, Southern peanut and rice growers complain that they are being treated unfairly in the Senate Farm Bill in regards to commodity pricing and crop insurance. The House will likely add a provision that will help to address crop insurance and commodity prices for these farmers by allowing the government to set price floors. This is very different from the Senate Bill as it bases prices on the market.

3.      Fiscal Restraint- Deficit hawks in the House will be looking to make major cuts in the House bill. Things like conservation, nutritional programs, and rural development initiatives may all be in danger of funding cuts in the House Farm bill.

Even with these differences, both Chairwoman Stabenow and Chairman Lucas are committed to passing the Farm Bill this year. Most sources I have spoken to agree that the Farm bill will take up most of the summer.

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Senate Farm Bill Amendments- Day 3

Today, the Senate passed the S.3240, Agriculture Reform and Food and Jobs Act of 2012, or the Farm Bill, by a vote of 64-35. The House is poised to take up its version of the bill on July 11. Next week it is expected that the debate on the agriculture appropriations bill will be a barometer for future debate on the Farm Bill. Below you will find the results on the final amendments that were voted on today.


- Toomey #2247 (paperwork); (60 votes needed)

Did not pass by a vote of 58-41

- Sanders #2310 (genetically engineered food); (60 votes needed)
            Did not pass by a vote of 26-73
- Coburn #2214 (convention funding); (60 votes needed)
            Passed by a vote of 95-4
- Boxer #2456 (aerial inspections); (60 votes needed)

Does not pass by a vote of 47-47

- Johanns #2372 (aerial inspections); (60 votes needed)
            Did not pass by a vote of 56-43
- Murray # 2455(sequestration); (60 votes needed)   

Passed by a voice vote.  

- McCain #2162 (Sequestration report – DoD); (60 votes needed)
            Withdrawn
- Rubio #2166 (RAISE Act) (60 votes needed)
            Did not pass by a vote of 45-54

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Senate Farm Bill Amendments Day 2

Votes on amendments to the Senate Farm Bill continued today. Unfortunately, the Senate did not get through all the amendments and will finish tomorrow. In the meantime, you will find an update list below of amendment voting results.


- Akaka #2440 (highly fractionated tribal lands);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Akaka #2396 (tribal relations office);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Baucus #2429 (Livestock);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Bingaman #2364 (multi-state aquifers);
            Withdrawn
- Brown (OH) #2445 (rural development);
            Passed by a vote of 55-41
- Cantwell #2370 (pulse pilot);
            Passed by a vote of 58-41
- Casey #2238 (technical/study -federal milk marketing)

Passed by a vote of 73-26

- Coons #2426 (poultry insurance study);
            Pass by a voice vote
- Feinstein #2422 (conservation innovation grants);

Passed by a voice vote.

- Feinstein #2309 (insurance recall);
            Passed by a vote of 76-23
- Gillibrand #2156 (SNAP);
             Did not pass by a vote of 33-66
- Hagan #2366 (crop insurance – plain language);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Kerry #2187 (commercial fishermen);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Landrieu #2321 (rural development loans);

Passed by a voice vote.

- Manchin #2345 (dietary study);
            Passed by a voice vote.
- Merkley #2382 (organic crop insurance);
            Passed by a vote of 63-36
- Schumer #2427 (acer);

Passed by a voice vote
- Stabenow #2453 (NAP);

Passed by a voice vote

- Udall(CO) #2295 (bark beetle);
            Passed by a vote of 77-22
- Warner #2457 (rural broadband);

Passed by a voice vote.

- Wyden #2442 (microloans);
            Did not pass on a voice vote. Passed on a division vote.
- Wyden #2388 (farm to school);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Leahy #2204 (rural development);

Passed by a voice vote.

- Nelson(NE) #2242 (rural housing);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Klobuchar #2299 (transportation study);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Carper #2287 (poultry feed research);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Sanders #2254 (biomass);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Thune #2437 (crop insurance);
            Did not pass by a vote of 44-55
- Durbin-Coburn #2439 (crop insurance);
Passed by a vote of 66-33
- Snowe #2190 (milk marketing order reform);
            Passed by a vote of 66-33
- Ayotte #2192 (value added grants);
            Did not pass by a vote of 38-61
- Collins #2444 (dairy);
            Withdrawn
- Grassley #2167 (pay cap marketing loans);
            Passed by a vote of 75-24
- Sessions #2174 (SNAP);

Did not pass by a vote of 43-56

- Nelson(NE) #2243 (SNAP);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Sessions #2172 (SNAP);

Did not pass 41-58

- Paul #2181 ($250,000 income limit);
            Did not pass by a vote of 15-84
- Alexander #2191 (wind loans);
            Did not pass by a vote of 33-66
- McCain #2199 (catfish);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Toomey #2217 (organic/AMA);
            Did not pass by a vote of 42-47
- DeMint #2263 (broadband funding);
            Did not pass by a vote of 45-54
- DeMint #2262 (SoS Free MKT);
            Passed by a voice vote
- DeMint #2268 (Loan guarantees);
            Did not pass by a vote of 14-84
- DeMint #2276 (checkoffs);
            Did not pass by a vote of 20-79
- DeMint #2273 (broadband);
            Did not pass by a vote of 44-55
- Coburn #2289 (MAP);
            Did not pass by a vote of 30-69
- Coburn #2293 (Limit Millionaires);
            Passed by a vote of 63-36
- Kerry #2454 (North Korea);
            Passed by a vote of 59-40
- Kyl #2354 (North Korea);
            Did not pass by a vote of 43-56
- Lee #2313 (Forest Legacy);

Did not pass by a vote of 21-77

- Lee #2314 (CSP/CRP cut);
            Did not pass by a vote of 15-84
- Boozman #2355 (Ag research, law info);
            Passed by a voice vote.
- Boozman #2360 (TEFAP);

Did not pass 35-63- 1 (present)

- Toomey #2226 (energy title);
            Did not pass by a vote of 36-63
- Toomey #2433 (sugar);
            Did not pass by a vote of 46-53
- Lee Motion to Recommit (FY 2008 levels);
            Did not pass by a vote of 29-70
- Johnson(WI) Motion to Recommit;

Did not pass by a vote of 40-59

- Chambliss #2438 (conservation crop insurance);
            Passed by a vote of 52-47
- Chambliss #2340 (sugar);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Chambliss #2432 (FMPP);

Did not pass by a voice vote. .

- Ayotte #2195 (GAO crop insurance fraud report);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Blunt #2246 (veterans);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Moran #2403 (food aid);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Moran #2443 (beginning farmers)
            Passed by a voice vote
- Vitter #2363 (pets); (60 votes needed)
            Originally passed by voice vote. Then passed by a vote of 88-11
- Toomey #2247 (paperwork); (60 votes needed)

- Sanders #2310 (genetically engineered food); (60 votes needed)
- Coburn #2214 (convention funding); (60 votes needed)
- Boxer #2456 (aerial inspections); (60 votes needed)

- Johanns #2372 (aerial inspections); (60 votes needed)
- Murray # 2455(sequestration); (60 votes needed)
- McCain #2162 (Sequestration report – DoD); (60 votes needed)

- Rubio #2166 (RAISE Act) (60 votes needed)

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Senate Farm Bill Amendment Results- Day 1

Today, the Senate began voting on the 73 amendments offered to S.3240, Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. Below you will see the results of today's votes.


- Akaka #2440 (highly fractionated tribal lands);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Akaka #2396 (tribal relations office);
            Passed via voice vote
- Baucus #2429 (Livestock);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Bingaman #2364 (multi-state aquifers);
            Withdrawn
- Brown (OH) #2445 (rural development);
            Passed by a vote of 55-41
- Cantwell #2370 (pulse pilot);
            Passed by a vote of 58-41
- Casey #2238 (technical/study -federal milk marketing)

Passed by a vote of 73-26

- Coons #2426 (poultry insurance study);
            Pass via voice vote
- Feinstein #2422 (conservation innovation grants);

Passed by a voice vote.

- Feinstein #2309 (insurance recall);
            Passed by a vote of 76-23
- Gillibrand #2156 (SNAP);
            Did not pass by a vote of 33-66
- Hagan #2366 (crop insurance – plain language);
            Passed via voice vote
- Kerry #2187 (commercial fishermen);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Landrieu #2321 (rural development loans);

Passed by a voice vote.

- Manchin #2345 (dietary study);

- Merkley #2382 (organic crop insurance);
- Schumer #2427 (acer);
- Stabenow #2453 (NAP);

- Udall(CO) #2295 (bark beetle);
- Warner #2457 (rural broadband);
- Wyden #2442 (microloans);

- Wyden #2388 (farm to school);
- Leahy #2204 (rural development);
- Nelson(NE) #2242 (rural housing);

- Klobuchar #2299 (transportation study);
- Carper #2287 (poultry feed research);
- Sanders #2254 (biomass);

- Thune #2437 (crop insurance);
- Durbin-Coburn #2439 (crop insurance);
- Snowe #2190 (milk marketing order reform);
            Passed by a vote of 66-33
- Ayotte #2192 (value added grants);
            Did not pass by a vote of 38-61
- Collins #2444 (dairy);
            Withdrawn
- Grassley #2167 (pay cap marketing loans);
            Passed with a vote of 75-24
- Sessions #2174 (SNAP);

Did not pass by a vote of 43-56

- Nelson(NE) #2243 (SNAP);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Sessions #2172 (SNAP);

Did not pass by a vote of 41-58

- Paul #2181 ($250,000 income limit);
            Did not pass by a vote of 15-84
- Alexander #2191 (wind loans);
            Did not pass by a vote of 33-66
- McCain #2199 (catfish);
            Passed by a voice vote
- Toomey #2217 (organic/AMA);
            Did not pass by a vote of 42-47
- DeMint #2263 (broadband funding);
            Did not pass by a vote of 45-54
- DeMint #2262 (SoS Free MKT);
            Passed by a voice vote
- DeMint #2268 (Loan guarantees);
            Did not pass by a vote of 14-84
- DeMint #2276 (checkoffs);
            Did not pass by a vote of 20-79 
- DeMint #2273 (broadband);

- Coburn #2289 (MAP);
- Coburn #2293 (Limit Millionaires);
- Kerry #2454 (North Korea);

- Kyl #2354 (North Korea);
- Lee #2313 (Forest Legacy);
- Lee #2314 (CSP/CRP cut);

- Boozman #2355 (Ag research, law info);
- Boozman #2360 (TEFAP);
- Toomey #2226 (energy title);

- Toomey #2433 (sugar);
- Lee Motion to Recommit (FY 2008 levels);
- Johnson(WI) Motion to Recommit;

- Chambliss #2438 (conservation crop insurance);
- Chambliss #2340 (sugar);
- Chambliss #2432 (FMPP);

- Ayotte #2195 (GAO crop insurance fraud report);
- Blunt #2246 (veterans);
- Moran #2403 (food aid);

- Moran #2443 (beginning farmers)
- Vitter #2363 (pets);
- Toomey #2247 (paperwork); (60 votes needed)

- Sanders #2310 (genetically engineered food); (60 votes needed)
- Coburn #2214 (convention funding); (60 votes needed)
- Boxer #2456 (aerial inspections); (60 votes needed)

- Johanns #2372 (aerial inspections); (60 votes needed)
- Murray # 2455(sequestration); (60 votes needed)
- McCain #2162 (Sequestration report – DoD); (60 votes needed)

- Rubio #2166 (RAISE Act) (60 votes needed)

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