Posted November 27, 2013
The lack of a long-term farm bill is threatening
foreign trade programs which have contributed to the “best five-year run of
agricultural trade in U.S. history," according to an AgWeek article available here.
“Now’s not the time to stop this agricultural-trade
freight train. I mean, we are going
stronger than we ever have in history, and we need to keep this going,” said Michael
Scuse, USDA’s under secretary for farm and foreign agricultural services, said
during a roundtable discussion with Senator Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and representatives of farm-related
companies and commodity groups.
Funds for the USDA’s Market Access Program and Foreign Market
Development Program, which work with trade organizations and others to develop
and expand export markets for U.S. agricultural products, are tied up in the
current bill debate, according to Scuse.
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has a global
network of 96 offices covering 169 countries, and “U.S. agricultural trade is
on track to hit a record $141 billion this year after setting a record of $137
billion two years ago.”
Scuse said that in the past the programs were frequent
targets for budget cuts, but Congress now understands the value of the
programs, which provide a $35 return for every $1 of investment.
After leaving for
Thanksgiving recess and failing to meet a deadline that would put Congress on
track for a final agreement by December 13, U.S. Representative Collin
Peterson (D-MN) and Heitkamp said they believe it is still possible to pass a
comprehensive farm bill by Jan. 1.
Peterson said that committee leaders are scheduled to talk by phone and
conferees have been notified that they may have to return to Congress on Dec.
4.
For more information on farm bills, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
