Posted September 16, 2013
Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, has “very, very,
very strong objections” to another extension of the current farm bill,
according to a Politico article, available here. Vilsack said that an extension would “reward”
Congress for “continued failure.” The
current farm bill, which is an extension adopted after the last Congress failed
to enact a farm bill, expires on September 30.
Vilsack did not mention a veto, but Rep. Collin
Peterson (D-MN) and ranking Democrat on the house Agriculture Committee, “said
a veto strategy is in play.” Peterson
told Politico that if “there is an extension, they [the Obama administration]
are going to veto it” because “they believe that’s the only way they can force
us to do a bill.”
Peterson doubts that Congress can pass a comprehensive
farm bill, saying that the House Republican leadership is “not doing what needs
to be done.”
Peterson called Secretary Vilsack and suggested that
USDA begin the process of implementing the 1949-era dairy policies that would
take effect on October 1, if Congress fails to pass a farm bill, according to
an article by The Hill, available here.
The 1949 law requires the Agriculture Department to
price milk at a floor of about $39 per 100 pounds, which “would lead milk
prices to roughly double at today’s rates.”
Peterson’s strategy is not to double milk prices, “but
to rouse the affected industry groups,” particularly the International Dairy
Foods Association (IDFA), into pressuring Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and other
GOP leaders to act.
Congress continues its struggle to pass a long-term
reauthorization of the farm bill. The
Senate passed a five-year reauthorization bill with bipartisan support, 66-27,
in June. House GOP Leaders “declined to
consider it, arguing that the $4.1 billion cut in food stamps was not large
enough to satisfy their conservative conference.” The House divided the bill, passing a farm
policy portion in July “with no democratic support and GOP leaders” plan to
vote this month on a nutrition bill expected to cut about $40 billion from the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Democratic leaders warn that a “cut of that size” has
“no chance of passing in the democratically controlled Senate” leaving little
room for compromise. Peterson believes
that his milk strategy “can compel” a deal.
