Courtesy iStockphoto / ThinkstockThe House ’s tragedy - assistance bill was guide to temporarily help farms affected by this class ’s drought . The Senate want to address the issuance through the passage of Farm Bill 2012 .
In the ongoingFarm Bill 2012drama , the House of Representatives stirred the pot again last week when it passed a stick out - alone tragedy - assistance bill to temporarily aid agriculture victim of this summer ’s widespread drought .
H.R. 6233 passed on Aug. 2 , 2012 , by a vote of 223 to 197 and proposes to cut down a totality of $ 639 million from the Conservation Stewardship and Environmental Quality Incentives programs . more or less more than half of the funding would be used as catastrophe aid for livestock producers and sure fruit producers , with the remaining amount expire toward deficit diminution . The House also attempted to pair the cataclysm aid government note with a year - long Farm Bill extension , but this was pull out from the level and will not be considered .
Even though the 2008 Farm Bill ’s disaster - aid measure expired in September 2011 , the House ’s action is being criticise by small - farm protagonism groups , like the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition , which already oppose the huge cut to conservation funding in the House Ag Committee ’s version of the Farm Bill . The groups proceed to push for Farm Bill 2012 to be approved by Congress before the anterior beak expires at the end of September . The NSAC said in a statement last calendar week :
“ The good way of life for Congress to address disaster assistance and aid farmers through this severe drought is to pass a new five - class Farm Bill reform parcel . Though they differ widely on reform , both the Senate - excrete and the House [ Ag ] Committee - passed bill include disaster aid for farmers and ranchers . Both bills also fund the tools that facilitate farmers prepare for unpredictable and uttermost production conditions — the preservation programs that reward Farmer for proactive , saucy farm management . ”
The Senate decided not to act on the disaster - assistance measure last hebdomad . Senate leaders determined that moving forward with the comprehensive , five - yearFarm Bill passed by the Senatein June 2012 would be the good means to accost disaster - aid needs .
“ It ’s deeply troubling that the House would leave farmers and belittled businesses in the stumble at a time when our agribusiness economy is vulnerable and facing incredible precariousness , ” says Debbie Stabenow ( D - Mich. ) , chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture . “ A five - year Farm Bill not only furnish the prompt relief producers need to battle drought and disaster , it also give way farmers the long - condition certainty and additional tools they take to keep grow and creating jobs over the recollective - term . ”
Congress separate for its five - hebdomad August niche last workweek , and it is still unclear what the next gradation for the passing of Farm Bill 2012 will be .
