Peterson at center of farm bill negotiations

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 12:00 p.m., January 21, 2008

Farm bill negotiations in recent weeks haven’t been easy for Seventh District Congress-man Collin Peterson who also is chairperson of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.

Peterson, who hails from Detroit Lakes and who grew up on a farm near Baker southeast of Moorhead, has met at least seven times with Acting Agriculture Secretary Charles Conner since the Senate passed its version of the farm bill in December. The goal now is to reach a compromise with the White House.

On the plus side for Peterson was his leadership in the U.S. House, in 2007, in passing its version of the five-year farm bill by a vote of 231 to 191. Since then the U.S. Senate passed its version of the farm bill. The Senate Agriculture Committee chairman is Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin.

Peterson and Harkin are meeting stiff opposition by the White House and Conner, to the $286 billion five-year farm bill.

Two issues stand out above the others as Congress tries to hammer out an agreement: how the bill will be paid for and how much the legislation will limit federal farm subsidies.

The White House said neither the House or Senate bills do enough to limit payments to wealthy farmers, arguing that Congress should adapt an administration proposal that would ban subsidies to farmers whose gross income exceeds an average of $200,000 a year.

Both bills, according to The Associated Press, attempt to limit subsidies somewhat. The Senate legislation would eventually ban payments to nonfarmers whose income averages more than $750,000 a year — defining farmers as those who earn more than two-thirds of their income from agriculture. The House would ban payments to farmers and nonfarmers who earn an average of $1 million a year or more.

On Tuesday Peterson plans to hold a news conference and provide an update on how the farm bill negotiations are progressing — or not progressing.

His office said on Monday that it’s likely that the nominee for secretary of agriculture, former North Dakota Gov. Ed Schafer, will likely be confirmed in the near future. Schafer would then take over from Acting Agriculture Secretary Conner.

Conner, Peterson and Harkin all were in attendance in St. Paul over the weekend to attend the Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest 2008 and 25th Anniversary Convention. All three took part in an open discussion regarding current farm bill negotiations — as well as conservation programs that specifically are tired to Pheasants Forever.

Minnesota U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, during a visit to Fergus Falls last month, said it’s important for the House, Senate and Bush Administration come to a quick agreement regarding the farm bill.

“All sides need to address the needs and concerns of corn, soybean, barley, sugarbeet growers and others,” Coleman said during the meeting at Lake Region Hospital. “Each spring farmers put a lot on the line, and they deserve some certainty. That’s part of our responsibility in crafting a good farm bill.”

A new farm bill is debated, passed and signed into law only once every five years — the last one enacted in 2002.

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