House Lawmakers Introduce Farm Bill Extension

News Date November 20, 2007

        As the 2007 farm bill remained stalled in the Senate, Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) last week introduced legislation for a one-year extension of the 2002 farm bill. Moran is a senior member of the House Committee on Agriculture where he serves as the Republican leader of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.

        Moran pointed out that he has never supported an extension, but believes it may be impossible to complete work on the farm bill before the end of the year. The House passed a farm bill in July and now the Senate cannot pass legislation until December. The House and Senate must work out differences in the two versions of the legislation before final passage. Moran said " it is unacceptable that we are nearing the end of the year without a farm bill to take home to our farmers and ranchers. Our producers face the uncertainty of making next year's crop decisions without knowing what type of safety net will be available in the coming year."

        Meanwhile, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) told media reporters that discussion about a farm bill extension was premature. He also expressed concern that the budget situation could mean that lawmakers will have less money to write a farm bill a year from now. In recent days, some lawmakers in both the House and Senate have floated the idea of extending the 2002 farm bill until 2008 or 2009.

        About twenty Republican farm state lawmakers joined Moran to cosponsor the extension legislation. They are: Reps. Bob Goodlatte (Va.), Frank Lucas (Okla.), Robin Hayes (N.C.), Marilyn Musgrave (Colo.), Randy Neugebauer (Texas), Michael Conaway (Texas), Mac Thornberry (Texas), Charles Boustany (La.), Steve King (Iowa), Sam Graves (Mo.), Timothy Johnson (Ill.), Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Adrian Smith (Neb.), Geoff Davis (Ky.), Richard Baker (La.), Jo Ann Emerson (Mo.), Charles "Chip" Pickering (Miss.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Ralph Hall (Texas), Jack Kingston (Ga.), Timothy Walberg (Mich.) and Lamar Smith (Texas). (Contact: Charlie Ingram)