President Obama briefly highlighted the importance of the nation’s agricultural policies in an October 16 statement marking the end of the government shutdown, just days after the House of Representatives began formal preparations to negotiate a final farm bill with the Senate.
Speaking in the White House press briefing room after lawmakers reached a deal to reopen the government, the President listed the “need to pass a farm bill” alongside immigration reform as a few of the top items Congress should tackle next to “help strengthen our economy.” He did not offer any specific thoughts on farm or conservation policies that might be included in the final legislation.
President Obama’s remarks came just days after House of Representatives leaders namedtheir members of a conference committee that will work with members of the Senate to develop a final farm bill reauthorization. Senate leaders had named their own conferees earlier in October, after each chamber had approved its own respective farm bill proposal.
There is significant overlap between the House- and Senate-approved farm bills – especially in the Conservation Title. Each bill would reduce the number of different federal conservation programs from 23 to 13, but also preserve USDA’s ability to offer grant assistance to local farmers that partner with nearby water utilities on projects that protect or improve water quality. Such partnerships are currently eligible for funding through the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP), but the House and Senate propose consolidating that initiative into a new Regional Conservation Partnerships Program (RCPP).
The biggest sticking point in conference negotiations is expected to surround funding levels for food stamp programs. The House proposed cutting food stamp spending by $40 billion over the next decade, while the Senate proposed a cut of only $4 billion over the same period.