Senate Embraces Coburn-Durbin High Earner Means Test as Well as Conservation Compliance on Crop Insurance- Senate Farm Bill Debate Update  

Work on the farm bill continued in the Senate Wednesday. The vote on final passage of the measure is expected on Thursday afternoon, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressing the hope of being done by 3 PM Washington time- Reid calling the progress adequate on Wednesday afternoon with mostly just the non germane amendments left to consider, along with the debate and vote on the actual 2012 Farm Bill as amended to this point. 

On Wednesday at least 35 amendments were voted on in a combination of voice votes and recorded votes. Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn was successful in his attempt to limit subsidies for millionaires and raise premiums for farmers with an adjusted gross income in excess of 750-thousand dollars.

On the Coburn-Durbin amendment relating to Crop Insurance premium subsidies- Scott Farber of the Environmental Working Group was very pleased- "Thanks to the leadership of Senators Coburn and Durbin, the Senate today adopted a common sense reform to our crop insurance subsidies that will help level the playing field for family farmers. We applaud the senators for their efforts to place reasonable limits on crop insurance, which has become the primary safety net for farmers, that will simply require the largest and most profitable farm businesses to share a fair share of their risk protection costs with the taxpayer."

In what could be considered a "wow" moment during the debate- the Senate approved an amendment to establish highly erodible land and wetland conservation compliance requirements for the Federal crop insurance program- as offered by former Chairman of the Committee, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia. That measure passed 52-47 and came over the objections of Chairlady Debbie Stabenow, who told reporters earlier in the day that we should not go that direction because we need to encourage as many farmers as is possible to sign up for crop insurance to make the pool of those insured as large as is possible to spread risk nationally. Several agricultural groups expressed their disappointment in that vote- including the National Corn Growers Association. Their President, Garry Niemeyer, offered this statement after the vote- "The National Corn Growers Association is very disappointed to see passage of Senator Saxby Chambliss' conservation compliance for crop insurance amendment in the 2012 farm bill. Our members have spent a significant amount of time discussing this issue and feel this addition to the farm bill would have a negative impact toward America's farmers.   

Click here to read more of our coverage from the Wednesday floor action- as well as a chance to hear our audio overview featuring comments from Dr. Coburn and Pat Roberts on Crop Insurance.

Coburn, Stabenow Debate Amendment to Reduce Funding for Market Access Program

Senator Tom Coburn squared off in debate against Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow over an amendment Coburn had offered to the Senate's version of the 2012 Farm Bill.

Coburn introduced Amendment 2289 which would reduce funding for the Market Access Program by 20 percent. The amendment also specifically prohibited the expenditure of funds for reality television shows, cat or dog food, wine tastings, and animal spa products.

In a rare show of solidarity with President Barrack Obama, Coburn said his amendment supported goals outlined by the administration.  He also said the market access programs are not having their desired effect.

"We spend $2 billion dollars over the next ten years on market access. American contribution to total world agricultural products is on the decline in spite of these programs. And the waste in these programs, if you actually look where the money's spent, is unbelievable."

Stabenow took exception with Coburn's characterization of the market access programs as failures. 

You can read more and listen to the exchange between Coburn and Stabenow by clicking here.

Canola Producers Need to Consider Crop Insurance Soon, Agent Says

With a very successful 2012 canola crop in the bin, interest is growing among producers to join the club and plant canola in 2013. One of the issues prospective canola producers will need to consider is obtaining crop insurance.

Canola is not currently listed as a crop that can automatically be covered by crop insurance except in ten counties in Oklahoma as designated by RMA. Bambi Sidwell of the Sidwell Insurance Agency in Piedmont says insurance is available, but it involves submitting the right paperwork in a timely fashion. She said producers in counties that are not automatically approved for crop insurance on canola need a written agreement with the RMA so that a crop insurance policy can be written.   She says farmers who think they might like to grow canola for the 2013 crop year need to start the process now.

"We are starting a little earlier this year because there is planned to be a lot more acres of canola planted than there have been in previous years. And those written agreements do take multiple weeks to get approved by the RMA before the producer knows if they'll be able to insure their canola crop for 2013 or not."

You can catch our interview with Bambi Sidwell on Canola TV by clicking here. 

Frank Lucas Delays House Ag Committee Farm Bill Markup Until July 11- But Pledges to Move Forward Then "Hell or High Water"

The House Agriculture Committee is not going to hold a markup on the next farm bill until after the Fourth of July recess. The markup is scheduled for Wednesday, July 11th. Chairman Frank Lucas decided to postpone the markup because the fiscal year 2013 Agriculture appropriations bill will come up on the House floor next week. According to Lucas - the committee members need to devote their attention to that process and to protecting that bill against potentially harmful amendments. He says antagonists on both sides of the farm bill will view the spending bill as a mini farm bill. 

Of course the question now is- will that give Lucas enough time to get the Committee work done and get floor time from House Speaker John Boehner before the August recess?  If there has been no floor debate before August- it makes getting a 2012 Farm Bill done in a conventional manner very difficult.  If Chairman Lucas can get his Committee to accept what has been done behind the scenes to this point and a bill is passed out of Committee that week of July 11- a July floor debate is still not out of the question- with the passage of a bill in the US Senate exerting huge pressure on the House Republicans to allocate floor time to get a bill done.   

Politico had a good read on these questions on the House side of the 2012 farm bill debate- click here to check that out. 

Increased Trade With Russia Will Benefit U.S. Farmers, AFBF Says

Timely congressional approval of permanent normal trade relations status for Russia will benefit U.S. farmers and ranchers, the American Farm Bureau Federation told a House Committee.

Wayne Wood, president of Michigan Farm Bureau, testified on behalf of AFBF before the House Committee on Ways and Means.

"PNTR makes permanent the trade status the U.S. has extended to Russia on an annual basis since 1992," Wood said. "It recognizes Russia's joining the World Trade Organization, which will provide our farmers and ranchers with more certain and predictable market access."

Russia's commitment to adhering to WTO provisions on sanitary and phytosanitary measures in particular will benefit U.S. farmers and ranchers because this will limit the country's ability to impose arbitrary measures that have impeded trade in the past.

In his testimony, Wood explained that exports of U.S. farm goods to Russia are likely to increase substantially following congressional approval of PNTR and the country's accession to the WTO. U.S. sales of beef, poultry, pork, apples, cheeses, soybeans and soybean products are all expected to grow due to improved market access. 

Quality Beef Demand in South America Drives U.S. Profits Higher

Quality counts in today's worldwide beef market. In at least one South American country, quality beef imports and prices being paid are growing.

Maggie O'Guinn with Certified Angus Beef, LLC, says unbeatable U.S. quality is the reason.

"Many of the wealthy consumers in Columbia travel a lot to Miami where they are exposed to the certified Angus beef brand. They know and appreciate the value and the quality of a higher-marbled steak. And the other thing is beef is still a status symbol. Beef is the celebration protein."

Beef dishes are growing more and more prominent on wedding and banquet menus there and consumption across the board is rising.

Click here for a video report on growing demand for high quality U.S. beef in South America.

Soy Checkoff-Funded Video Series Helps Boost Production, Profit Potential

To make the most of every acre, U.S. soybean farmers need the latest production research and management information. One thing that can help them get it is the soy checkoff-funded "Focus on Soybeans" webcast series. And with the new, quicker summary versions, U.S. soybean farmers can get the latest information they can use on the farm in five minutes or less.

"The webcasts provide valuable information to help soybean farmers better manage pests, diseases and other crop stresses," says Jimmy Sneed United Soybean Board (USB) communications chair and Hernando, Miss., soybean farmer. "They also bring to U.S. soybean farmers new developments in production practices, irrigation management, seeding rates, seed-quality preservation and others that are included in the series, too."

Now the webcasts are available in a shorter format. And although that provides more convenience for some farmers, the full-length versions, which include a lot more science-related information, still remain available for soybean farmers who prefer the longer format.

You can read more about the soybean video series as well as access their website by clicking here.