Senate Floor Mark-up

Luis: Additional details are emerging regarding the framework of the Senate Farm Bill plan. The main feature being Senator Harkins’ optional revenue protection program and to a lesser extent payment caps and other budget devices that lift the Senate version $3 to $3.5 billion over the baseline in contrast to the 4.2 billion by the House version that is funded via controversial tax measures.

More importantly, the Senate proposal may lift the fruit and planting restriction for program crop growers who choose the new (optional) revenue protection program. An initial reaction was documented in the SF Gate article below:

California could reap windfall from farm bill deal

"Senate Democrats announced a breakthrough in a long-stalled farm bill Wednesday that would provide billions of dollars for California fruit and vegetable marketing, farm conservation and food stamps - but would maintain costly, traditional crop subsidies for corn, wheat, cotton, rice and soybeans.

The linchpin of the deal was $3 billion in new money that suddenly appeared when the Congressional Budget Office determined that a new option for subsidized farmers to choose an alternative insurance-style program would save money. That money could pay for environmental and nutrition programs while shielding subsidies from cuts.

But it was unclear whether the deal would appease the unusual left-right alliance of reformers hoping to change the 70-year-old system of crop subsidies that they contend has speeded farm industrialization, harmed the environment and contributed to the nation's obesity epidemic. Fruit and vegetable growers said they might not be happy, either."

Luis: An extensive summary of reactions and press coverage of the Senate Farm Bill version can be found on the Farm Police blog including reference to Sen. Richard Lugar (R, Ind) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D, N.J.) Farm Ranch Equity Stewardship and Health (FRESH) Act.