Farm bill sked

Senate debate on the farm bill is expected to conclude this week, though votes on the 20 amendments allowed for each side won't start until Tuesday. First up for the debate Friday was a bill to slim down adjusted gross income limits. From the office of Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar:


In remarks on the Senate floor Friday, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar said she is encouraged by progress this week on the 2007 Farm Bill and urged her colleagues to support an amendment she has offered to reform federal subsidy payments. The 2007 Farm Bill, which was passed by the Agriculture Committee in October, is expected to come to a vote on the Senate floor next week.

Klobuchar, who serves on the Agriculture Committee, called the legislation “a forward-looking farm bill’’ that would foster advances in cellulosic biofuels and improve rural conservation programs. The bill also creates a permanent program of disaster assistance, while preserving a strong safety net for farmers and strengthening federal nutrition programs.

But she said the bill would be even stronger with the amendment she has offered which would limit participation in the commodity programs to full-time farmers with incomes less than $750,000 per year, after expenses, and part-time farmers with incomes under $250,000 after expenses.

“This would ensure that urban millionaires do not pocket the farm subsidies intended for hardworking farmers,” Klobuchar said. “We’re proud that we have produced a farm bill that is fully paid-for and fiscally responsible, but that also requires us to make sure that federal resources go to farmers who genuinely need them.”

TK: Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., stood up against what he called the "unreasonable AGI test." Farm interests may have to give a little more ground on this AGI issue to secure Administration support. It will be interesting to see the recorded vote on this amendment, because it is hard to argue for "urban millionaires" getting farm subsidies.