USDA RELEASES ANALYSIS ON FAILURE TO ENACT A NEW FARM BILL
News Date March 03, 2008
USDA released a document on February 29 which provides a detailed description of what would happen if a new farm bill is not enacted or an extension of the 2002 Farm Bill is not approved by March 15. The fourteen page analysis was prepared at the request of the House and Senate Agriculture Committee staff.
The current farm bill expires on March 15, 2008. If a new farm bill is not enacted by that date or the 2002 farm bill is not extended, then the "permanent" farm bill laws from 1938 and 1949 would legally be in effect. USDA's analysis states that such a result would "dramatically narrow the universe of producers who receive support, and would do so in a way that most producers will view as irrational."
The first part of the USDA document describes the impacts on commodity programs. The second part focuses on the effects of other programs and explains that many conservation, energy, trade, nutrition and other programs would be eliminated or substantially curtailed. The USDA document is fourteen pages long and is available on the USDA website at http://www.usda.gov/documents/fbpaper022908.doc. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)