UPDATE - Payment Limits - Budget Reconciliation

- from the desk of Ferd Hoefner, fhoefner@msawg.org

Markup of Budget Reconciliation

Passage of $3 billion in budget cuts to the farm bill in Committee today is, thankfully, just act one of a multi-act play.

We applaud Senator Grassley for making clear this morning that act two will come when all Senators cast a vote in November on farm program payment limitation reform when the Budget Reconciliation bill goes to the floor of the Senate.

Passage of the Grassley-Dorgan payment limit reform amendment at that time will allow the Senate to restore many of the most egregious cuts contained in the farm and conservation sections of the reconciliation package that was narrowly approved today.

This vote by the full Senate will be by far the most important agricultural vote of this Congress, and will determine whether the broad public interests in protecting natural resources and improving family farm viability and opportunity will take precedence overcontinuing to provide seven-figure checks from the taxpayers to mega-farms.

The Senate approved payment limit reform by a 66-31 vote in 2002, and now will have the opportunity to reaffirm that position.

for more information post a question or comment here or contact
John Crabtree, johnc@cfra.org

Center for Rural Affairs
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