HR 2419 - Unfinished business

Here is the link to the H.R. 2419, the farm bill from the House Agriculture Committee now being considered in the full House. Here is reverse chronology of events tonight on the House floor, from the House Web site. Note that the Kind amendment was defeated soundly.

10:43 P.M. -
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 2419 as unfinished business.
On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
Mr. Peterson (MN) moved that the committee rise.
10:41 P.M. -
On agreeing to the Kind amendment Failed by recorded vote: 117 - 309 (Roll no. 747).
10:18 P.M. -
On agreeing to the Frank (MA) amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
10:05 P.M. -
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 574, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Frank (MA) amendment.
Amendment offered by Mr. Frank (MA).
An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part B of House Report 110-261 to strike 5 sections from Title V of the bill which expand the lending authority of the Farm Credit System.
10:04 P.M. -
On agreeing to the Peterson (MN) amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
9:53 P.M. -
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 574, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Peterson(MN) En Bloc amendments.
9:50 P.M. -
Amendments offered by Mr. Peterson (MN).
An amendment comprised of the following amendments offered En Bloc: Amendment Nos. 4, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 22, 23 as modified, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31.
9:49 P.M. -
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Kind amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Kind demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
8:58 P.M. -
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 574, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Kind amendment.
Amendment offered by Mr. Kind.
An amendment numbered 1 printed in Part B of House Report 110-261 to reform the farmer safety net to work better for small farmers at lower cost, reallocate funding to nutrition, conservation, specialty crops and healthy foods, rural development, and programs that benefit socially disadvantaged farmers.
7:42 P.M. -
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 2419.
7:41 P.M. -
The Speaker designated the Honorable Ellen O. Tauscher to act as Chairwoman of the Committee.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 574 and Rule XVIII.
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2419 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Agriculture now printed in the bill, modified by the amendments printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 574.

Rule vote up first

House Republicans will come out strongly against the first vote in consideration of the farm bill, which will be the vote on the "rule" for the debate. Link here.

At the Republican conference this morning, members sounded united in their objection to a tax on foreign owned companies that was added to the bill, one source close to the committee said. Republicans are saying it is a tax increase and Democrats are saying they are closing a tax loophole.

There are GOP members who are reluctant to vote against the rule because they favor the farm bill, but look for near unanimous GOP opposition on the first vote. Democrats may well have enough votes to pass the rule, assuming few Democrats peel off and vote with the GOP.

There will be an hour debate on the rule vote. After the vote, assuming the Democrats hold sway, the Kind-Flake amendment will be taken up. That amendment would sharply limit farm subsidies.One Washington lobbyist said the Kind-Flake may get more support than expected. If it somehow is approved, the farm bill would be withdrawn at that point.

Once Republicans had a chance to vote against the rule, those Republican members who were going to vote for the House Committee's farm bill will probably still vote for it.

Another amendment to watch is one from the Ways and Means Committee chairman Rangel that would liberalize sales terms for agriculture exports to Cuba. President Bush has threatened a veto on other bills if this is attached to it. Passage of this amendment may complicate final passage of the farm bill because Floridian House members might vote against the legislation.

Remember the House Agriculture Committee farm bill amendment that would transfer border inspectors back to USDA from DHS? That was stripped out at the last minute because of objections by Homeland Security. If it will be a part of the bill, one lobbyist said it will have to pass on the House floor; Rep. Dennis Cardoza will offer an amendment seeking to accomplish just that. While most U.S. produce association support the move of inspectors from DHS to USDA, Lee Frankel of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas believes DHS has made good progress and worries that U.S. growers will try to manipulate the USDA to their advantage and the detriment of imports if border inspectors move back to the agency.

"It's worth staying up for tonight because it will be spirited," one lobbyist said. The debate will likely spillover tomorrow morning and try to finish by noon or 1 p.m, one lobbyist speculated.

FB amendments

TK: From the office of Rep Dennis Cardoza.The Rules Committee has determined 31 amendments considered today in the farm bill debate. Note Cardoza amendment on moving APHIS staff back to USDA from DHS.

The rule makes in order the following 31 amendments printed in the Rules Committee report.

1. Kind (WI): The Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment will reform the farmer safety net to work better for small farmers at lower cost, reallocate funding to nutrition, conservation, specialty crops and healthy foods, rural development, and programs that benefit socially disadvantaged farmers., (40 minutes)

2. Frank (MA)/Bachus (AL): The amendment strikes five sections from Title V of the bill (Agribusiness loan eligibility, Loan-to-asset value requirements, Population limit for single-family housing loans, Majority farmer control requirement, and Borrower stock requirement), which expand the lending authority of the Farm Credit System., (10 minutes)

3. Goodlatte (VA): The amendment streamlines and adopts one set of terms and conditions of easements for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), Farmland and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP), and Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP). , (10 minutes)

4. Lucas (OK): The amendment would make livestock producers eligible for livestock assistance programs regardless of whether they had Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance (NAP) coverage., (10 minutes)

5. Cardoza (CA): The amendment requires USDA to transition Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) employees responsible for plant pest inspection duties back to USDA from the Department of Homeland Security in order to better serve the needs of American agriculture., (10 minutes)

6. Boustany (LA)/Alexander (LA): The amendment states that in the case of sweet potatoes, Risk Management Agency Pilot Program data shall not be considered for purposes of determining production for the 2005-2006 Farm Service Agency Crop Disaster Program., (10 minutes)

7. Jackson-Lee (TX): The amendment is intended to express the sense of Congress that the food available to schoolchildren under the school breakfast and lunch program should be selected so as to reduce the incidence of juvenile obesity and to maximize nutritional value., (10 minutes)

8. Hastings (FL): The amendment adds a new section for "Pollinator Protection" that authorizes research funding to reduce North American pollinator decline and understand Colony Collapse Disorder. This amendment also adjusts USDA conservation programs to put a greater emphasis on increasing habitat and establishing cropping and integrated pest management practices to protect native and managed pollinators. , (10 minutes)

9. Arcuri (NY)/Welch (VT)/Gillibrand (NY): The amendment expresses the Sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture should use existing authority when determining the Class I milk price mover to take into account the increased cost of production, including energy and feed. , (10 minutes)

10. Welch (VT): The amendment encourages schools to submit plans for implementation to the Secretary that include locally grown foods, in areas where geographically available. , (10 minutes)

11. Welch (VT)/Arcuri (NY): The amendment adds a provision to the review process for the Federal Milk Marketing Order Review Commission to include an evaluation of cost of production variables, including cost of feed and cost of fuel. Additionally, it encourages the Commission to be regionally diverse, and moves up the date from 24 months to 18 months after the enactment of this bill. , (10 minutes)

12. Rangel (NY): The amendment removes certain banking restrictions related to Cuba’s payment for agricultural purchases from U.S. producers. It also authorizes direct transfers between Cuban banks and U.S. banks and allows visas to be issued to conduct activities related to purchasing U.S. agricultural goods., (10 minutes)

13. Boehner (OH): The amendment would replace the current daily posted county prices (PCPs) used for determining loan deficiency payment rates and repayment rates for marketing assistance loans with a monthly PCP for each crop. It would revise requirements for establishing a producer’s loan deficiency payment (LDP) and loan repayment rate to be based on the month that beneficial interest is lost. The amendment aims to address farmers taking advantage of short-term market events to lock in artificially high loan deficiency payments, while actually selling the commodity later at prices well above the loan rate. , (10 minutes)

14. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX): The amendment adds the additional point to Subtitle B of the research title that emphasis should be placed on proposals that examine the efficacy of current agriculture policies in promoting the health and welfare of economically disadvantaged populations (in addition to supporting research/ health promotion to “solve the problems of nutritional inadequacy)., (10 minutes)

15. Manzullo (IL): The amendment exempts the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) from the $60,000 and $125,000 payment limitations, resetting it to the $450,000 limitation that is in the current law., (10 minutes)

16. Blumenauer (OR): The amendment would make conservation easements purchased through a transferable development rights program eligible for grants under the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program. Transferable Development Rights (TDR) programs are a voluntary, market-based tool used by states and cities to protect farmland, private property rights, and taxpayer dollars by allowing the transfer of development rights from one parcel of land to another., (10 minutes)

17. Latham (IA):
, The amendment amends the Household Water Well System Program, which makes grants to non-profit organizations to finance the construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individually owned household water well systems in rural areas for individuals with low or moderate incomes, to allow the use of in-kind contributions to meet the required federal funding match of 10%. The amendment also clarifies that in-kind contributions used to meet the match can be for no purpose other than to administer the water well grant program., (10 minutes)

18. Berry (AR): The amendment will prohibit non-profit organizations with more than $50 million in direct public support from receiving conservation payments., (10 minutes)

19. Davis, Danny (IL)/Kirk (IL): The amendment strikes the sugar sections in the commodity title as well as the feedstock flexibility program for bioenergy producers, extending current programs until 2012., (10 minutes)

20. Terry (NE): The amendment creates a competitive demonstration project designed to provide proof of concept in supplementing corn with sweet sorghum as an ethanol feedstock., (10 minutes)

21. Udall, Mark (CO): The amendment reduces the direct payment rate for cotton by 2/3 of a cent. The resulting savings would be used to fund enrollment of 224,000 additional acres in the Grasslands Reserve Program., (10 minutes)

22. Wu (OR): The amendment broadens the eligible universities by adding that universities that do work in alternative energy related fields, such as agriculture, chemistry, environmental sciences, bioengineering, biochemistry, natural resources and public policy are eligible for the biofuels from biomass internship program., (10 minutes)

23. Clay (MO): The amendment would make grants to eligible entities to assist in purchasing operating organic gardens or greenhouses in urban areas for growing fruits and vegetables., (10 minutes)

24. Israel (NY)/Doyle (PA): The amendment would eliminate the sale of random source animals for research and will prohibit the marketing of medical devices by using live animals in demonstrations to market such devices., (10 minutes)

25. Putnam (FL): The amendment prohibits individuals from receiving farm conservation payments if their income exceeds $1 million, unless 75% of the income comes from farm income. , (10 minutes)

26. Bordallo (GU): The amendment authorizes a grants program to assist the land grant institutions in the U.S. territories in upgrading facilities and equipment in the agricultural and food sciences. It authorizes appropriations for five years in the amount of $8 million per year. It authorizes USDA to vary award amounts and to establish competitive criteria for the program., (10 minutes)

27. Cooper (TN): The amendment will comprehensively reform the federal crop insurance program, including the Administration’s farm bill crop insurance proposals. This amendment saves approximately $4 billion while adding resources to the Grassland Reserve Program., (10 minutes)

28. Emanuel (IL): The amendment directs the USDA to investigate which estates have been receiving payments in the name of dead farmers and recoup payments made in the name of deceased individuals., (10 minutes)

29. Hall, John (NY): The amendment would establish a program to encourage environmentally responsible practices on actively farmed muck soil land., (10 minutes)

30. Hodes (NH)/Arcuri (NY): The amendment authorizes a grant program for state and local communities and governments known as the Community Wood Energy Program to use low-grade wood biomass in community wood energy systems for state and locally owned businesses such as schools, town halls, and courthouses., (10 minutes)

31. Shuler (NC): The amendment allows non-industrial private forest lands to be eligible for emergency restoration funds if the Secretary determines that insect or disease poses an imminent threat of loss or damage to those lands., (10 minutes)

The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Cardoza making the case

TK: Just sliding across my inbox, a strong reproof to Republicans from the office of Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif.

Statement from Rep. Dennis Cardoza at Rules Committee hearing responding to allegations that the 2007 Farm Bill raises taxes:

“If you want to kill this farm bill over an ideological difference of opinion about what is or is not a tax increase, that funds only a tiny portion of the overall bill, let’s have that debate. If Republicans want to support international corporations that are cheating on their taxes before American farmers, I am comfortable taking that to farmers from the Midwest to both coasts who overwhelming support the 2007 Farm Bill.” Cardoza continued, “If we are not careful, this country will become a net importer of food; last year there was no surplus. I won’t let happen on my watch. We cannot abandon farm country.”

The 2007 Farm Bill closes a tax loophole that allows foreign-based companies located in tax havens to avoid tax on income earned in the United States by their U.S.-based subsidiaries. Five years ago, this Administration and its own Treasury Department identified this earnings stripping as a tax abuse.

7/26 discussion board threads

No, it is not all farm bill all the time. Here is a window to the world of Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group threads this morning:

At last, sweet blackberries stay the course Luis comments on the rise of the blackberry and New York Times coverage of improvements in varieties. Luis also adds perspective on strawberries:
If not already aware, some blog members who like history and the in- outs of how produce leaders and researchers make such progress possible, may want to check out Herbert Baum's (of CA Strawberry Commission) book/thesis that you can get at Amazon's.
Quest for the Perfect Strawberry: A Case Study of the California Strawberry Commission and the Strawberry Industry: a Descriptive Model for Marketing Order Evaluation

Should United and the PMA merge? Some thoughts from discussion board members on the pros and cons.

Big Apple post numerous newsy links this a.m., including:

Leafy green audits begin in California

China hasn't kept promise to give report on manufacturers of recalled goods

Officials design agriculture emergency plans for central valley

USDA announces availability of four pest risk analyses for the importation of fruits and vegetables from Africa

Farm bill spotlight

As DC drama goes, this is pretty good. The start of legislative business today for the House begins at 10 a.m. Both parties are reportedly in caucuses right now, with leadership probably giving their last instructions to rank and file. One chief of staff for a California Republican said GOP concerns about the tax increase and bigger spending should not be underestimated. At the same time, he said that Republican leadership knows that the farm bill is critically important to many members.

At the end of the day, what happens? Led by Chairman Peterson, perhaps Democrats and Republicans on the committee will bridge their differences, with some face-saving gesture allowing for bipartisan support.

A source close to House the Agriculture Committee said the Rules Commitee has allowed for 31 amendments in the farm bill debate. A long day...

Some stories on the farm bill:
Farm subsidies seem immune to overhaul NYT

Huge farm bill offers more of the same for agribusiness SFC

On eve of vote, farm bill draws threat of veto WP

Wheels coming off?

The well run machine that is the House Agriculture Committee is in danger of lurching off the tracks. Did all the earlier celebration of the committee's bipartisanship jinx it? What will happen Thursday when the full House takes up the farm bill? Here is the latest from the House Agriculture Committee Republicans: One telling quote: "Due to the inclusion of the tax increases, we are prepared to vote against this bill," said Ranking Member Goodlatte

Ag Republicans Angered by Democrats' Insertion of Tax Increase
WASHINGTON - Today, House Agriculture Committee Republicans learned that the funding promised to the Committee to offset nutrition spending would be paid for by a tax increase, despite prior promises by the Democratic Leadership to the contrary. While the Committee approved bipartisan farm bill language last week, the tax provisions were added to the bill after Committee action without consideration or input from Republicans. With consideration of the farm bill anticipated on the House floor tomorrow, Committee Republicans feel deceived by the Democratic Leadership.
"After the Agriculture Committee passed a bipartisan bill, the bill was hijacked by forces outside of our control and the tax increase proposals were introduced without any input from the Republican members of the Committee. Despite repeated assurances that the $4 billion in offsets would not come from tax increases, here we are looking at tax increases as the "funding mechanism" of choice employed by the Democratic Leadership. The House Agriculture Committee Republicans are united in our outrage at the inclusion of these tax provisions in what should be a bipartisan bill and the underhanded tactics employed by the Democratic Leadership to bypass this Committee and include these provisions in the bill. Earlier this week, my Republican colleagues were prepared to support the farm bill because we understand it needs bipartisan support; however, today, the farm bill has taken a very different form and is no longer about American agriculture but something far more political. .
The tax provisions included would raise taxes on companies with U.S. subsidiaries. These companies are responsible for the employment of more than 5.1 million Americans. By raising taxes on foreign companies located in the U.S., these provisions could make the U.S. a less hospitable place to do business and drive jobs abroad.
"We can get to where we need to be without raising taxes and discouraging investment in America, but this is not the way to do it. Because the Democratic Leadership won't invest in American agriculture, they're calling on foreign companies to pick up the tab to fund our domestic priorities by increasing taxes on companies that provide millions of Americans with good jobs and reinvest in their U.S. operations. It is regrettable and unfortunate that the Democrats have chosen partisan politics over the welfare of rural America. This is partisan politics in its rawest form and Agriculture Committee Republicans will stand against it," said Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte.