House Agriculture Committee Releases Chairman’s Markup Documents

News Date July 09, 2007

Late July 6, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) released markup documents for each title of the 2007 farm bill. The documents, including an en bloc amendment, are located at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html. The committee is scheduled to begin markup on July 17. 

Among the highlights of the markup documents are: 
* Extends the safety net programs authorized in the 2002 farm bill with minor changes. 
* Increases target prices for wheat, barley, oats, oilseeds and soybeans, which increases producers' opportunity to receive counter-cyclical payments when prices are low. 
* Continues support for farmers through direct payments. 
* Extends the Milk Income Loss Contract Program until 2012. 
* Funds the Market Access Program (MAP) at $225 million annually for FY08 through FY12, which translates into a $125 million increase for the program over five years. Funds the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program at the current year level of $34.5 million annually for FY08 through FY12. However, NASDA supports $325 million annually for MAP and $50 million annually for FMD. 
* Provides mandatory funding that would support expansion of the specialty crop block grant program with increases in funding over the term of the farm bill from $40 million in FY08 to $75 million in FY12. 
* If costs can be offset, the 2007 farm bill provides up to $2 billion in loan guarantee authority for biorefineries, with half going to loans less than $100 million, and the other half for loans up to $250 million. 
* If costs can be offset, the 2007 farm bill provides $500 million for the Renewable Energy & Efficiency Improvements Program, to be renamed the Rural Energy for America Program, over the five years included in the 2007 farm bill. 
* Provides money and outlines a plan for new programs of joint action between federal and state governments to provide for early detection and surveillance of plant pests and diseases. The funding levels increases from $10 million in FY08 to $100 million in FY12. 
* Establishes proactive, cooperative, audit-based certification systems between USDA, states, and growers to address plant pest infestations. 
* Provides $200 million in mandatory funding for pest and disease detection and control.
* Extends the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) by authorizing 39.2 million acres to be enrolled through 2012.
* Increases funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and expands the activities for which a producer can receive incentive payments to include technical assistance that will help fruit and vegetable producers access the program.
* Increases funding for the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and establishes a more user-friendly certification process to determine eligibility for program funds.
* Extends the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (DoD Fresh) and expands the USDA Snack Program to all fifty states.
* Expands the Senior Farmer's Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).
* In total, eleven titles are proposed for consideration. The en bloc amendment includes permanent authority to provide emergency agricultural assistance; creation of a biomass energy reserve and an increase in funding for the specialty crops block grant program by $40 million for each fiscal year. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak or Charlie Ingram)