The Senate Agriculture Committee has passed its version of the 2007 Farm Bill, but the National Corn Growers Association was hoping the bill would include more literature outlining improved risk management tools.
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased the Senate Agriculture Committee included a revenue option in the 2007 farm bill, but is disappointed by the committee’s action to strip a key component of the optional revenue-based countercyclical program, the integration with federal crop insurance. It is a missed opportunity to provide a better risk management tool in the new farm bill, said NCGA President Ron Litterer.
Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) included a state triggered revenue countercyclical program – called the Average Crop Revenue (ACR) program – in the package he presented to the committee this week. Included in that package was a requirement to integrate crop insurance with the revenue program.
An amendment accepted by the committee on a voice vote stripped the crop insurance integration from the revenue package. Corn growers support an optional revenue program starting in 2010.
Litterer—on Capitol Hill for the markup—sees the progression of events as a first step in a revenue option to improve the farm bill package. “While we are pleased a revenue package is in the final bill reported out of committee, NCGA is deeply disappointed with this setback,” he said. “The amendment makes the revenue proposal a much less attractive option to growers.”
NCGA has received assurances from Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) that they will work toward a revenue package that is a viable option for corn producers.
The bill is expected to be on the Senate floor the week of Nov. 5.