Congress Returns with Farm-Related Issues Pending

9/4/2003 Congress Returns with Farm-Related Issues Pending - 9/2 Agriculture Law

"Corn growers have four major objectives as the conference committee convenes," said National Corn Growers Association Director of Public Policy Mark Palmer: "One, to include a renewable fuels standard (RFS) in the energy bill; two, to get an energy bill; and three, to incorporate the tax modifications that include the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) fix and small producer tax credit. Finally, our main goal will be to have a stronger RFS schedule with a final ascension at 5 billion gallons. "

The inclusion of an RFS in the energy bill is NCGA's top priority, noted Palmer, because of the potential to grow the renewable fuels industry to 5 billion gallons in less than a decade. Tax changes, he added, would help improve the nation's highway and bridge network as well as encourage farmer investment in the ethanol industry.

With the nation's largest electric blackout in history fresh on their minds, members should be willing to expedite an energy bill.

In addition, they must approve 13 appropriations bills for the entire federal government. Dairy could be affected by provisions in those appropriations bills or in stand-alone legislation, including the mandatory reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. All in all, federal legislators face a tight schedule to keep the target adjournment date of October 3.

Among dairy's top priorities is the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which provides funding for federal nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. Congress must reauthorize the legislation before its adjournment for the year to keep the programs running.

IDFA and the National Milk Producers Federation are working together in a comprehensive initiative to defend and enhance milk's role as a cornerstone of these nutrition programs

Dairy pricing policies could be addressed. Reps. John McHugh (R-NY) and Thomas Reynolds (R-NY) and Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) could introduce legislation that would replace the costly Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program with a new kind of dairy compact. The legislation reportedly would create regional programs in which dairy farmer support payments would come directly from milk processors; payments would be triggered when the price of milk falls below a set Class I floor price. Rather than following the MILC plan of having the government provide farmer payments, the money would come from the marketplace, resulting in higher consumer costs for milk and dairy products.

IDFA said it will oppose any kind of dairy compact and further attempts to interfere with market forces. Throughout the summer, the dairy compact issue has drawn media attention, particularly in New England. Presidential hopeful and former governor of Vermont Howard Dean has made this a campaign issue and supports the concept of dairy compacts.

The ongoing debate over new tariffs on imports of milk protein concentrates (MPC), casein and caseinates is expected to continue. Bills in both the Senate and House (S.560 and HR.1160) were introduced in March. While neither chamber has moved on the legislation, proponents of the tariffs keep pressing for more bill cosponsors. IDFA continues to cooperate with the U.S. Coalition for Nutritional Ingredients, which opposes legislation that would impose such tariffs. This coalition is a broad-based group of more than 50 associations, taxpayer and consumer organizations, and food companies and their employees.

Related Link: http://www.agriculturelaw.com

Go back to main page

This website is best viewed in or versions 4.0 and
above. All content contained herein is subject to copyright law.

Click here to unsubscribe