Farm-bill hopes are dimming

OUTSIDE INFLUENCES

03.21.18

Jerry Hagstrom

Farm-bill hopes are dimming Prospects for writing a new farm bill before the cur- is that farmers are distracted by other issues. rent one expires in September are now very dim, and the In normal times, with commodity prices and farm inbreakdown between Republicans and Democrats over comes low, farmers would be flying into D.C. demanding food stamps is only one of the reasons. aid. They are indeed flying into town—but to focus on the Last week, all 19 Democratic members of the House Ag- battle between Midwestern and oil-state senators over the riculture Committee wrote ranking member Collin Pe- Renewable Fuel Standard, and the potential retaliation terson that they had become “concerned about the nutri- from President Trump’s rewrite of the North American tion policies being pushed by the majority” and asked him Free Trade Agreement and the tariffs he plans to impose on to “abstain from further negotiations until the chairman steel and aluminum imports. Their messages: Don’t mess [Rep. Mike Conaway] agrees to share the legislative text with the RFS, and free trade works fine for agriculture. and its detailed impact with members of the committee.” Pressure to write a new bill has diminished because The committee Democrats wrote that letter after Peter- dairy and cotton farmers got fixes in the disaster bill that son on March 12 told farm broadcaster Mike Adams that became law in February. Farmers are also leery about a new the Republicans “want to take 8 bill because Trump’s budget has million people off the rolls, and proposed cutting crop insurance they want to take the money saved and other programs. and give it to the states to create a While farm leaders give lip serjob-training bureaucracy.” vice to the idea that a new fiveConaway is focused on stiffenyear farm bill would give them ing work requirements for benefiand their bankers certainty, they ciaries of what is officially called privately acknowledge that an exthe Supplemental Nutrition Astension with no budget cuts might sistance Program. Peterson said be better. that the GOP proposal would Conaway has accused Demoraise the age until which beneficrats of playing politics and wantciaries would be expected to work ing to delay the farm bill until afto 65. That would mean police, the ter the election. military, and others who take re“I understand that this is an tirement at 50 or 55 because their even-numbered year, and that Caption Food stamps are a sticking point in farm legislation. jobs allow it, but don’t get big pensome in the Democratic leadersions, would not be able to get benefits unless they go back ship may not want to allow Congress to get its work done to work, Peterson said. in order to score points in the fall and they will look for any Peterson immediately agreed to his members’ request. excuse,” he said. “That’s certainly their prerogative. But Conaway apparently agreed to allow Peterson to share anyone who cares about the farmer and the rancher and the some information about the nutrition title on Tuesday, state of the agriculture economy does not have that kind of but Peterson said afterward that his members remained luxury.” “unanimous in their opposition to the extreme partisan It’s time to acknowledge that the elections of Sen. Doug policies” of the Republicans. The breakdown meant that Jones in Alabama and Conor Lamb as a likely representaConaway could not deliver on his promise to hold a markup tive from Pennsylvania have changed the dynamics of the in the first quarter of the year. 2018 political debate. Jones and Lamb, elected from conPeople close to Conaway say that Peterson has exaggerated servative places, are just the kind of Democrats who can the impact of the work requirements on SNAP beneficiaries. be helpful to both farmers and antihunger advocates—and Conaway wants to improve the lives of SNAP participants by who could work with Senate Agriculture Committee rankgetting them jobs or training, and that should be possible in a ing member Debbie Stabenow if she were to chair the comgrowing economy with low unemployment, they say. mittee and Peterson if he were chairman in the House. Conflicts over nutrition programs come up in every Democrats are on a warpath to win more seats. As the farm-bill debate, and this one could certainly be resolved. midterm elections approach, do Republicans really want Although Conaway may insist on making his point, he is in to get into a debate about making it harder for low-income a weak position in the long run. Senate Agriculture Com- people to get food? Q mittee Chairman Pat Roberts has said he isn’t planning on any major changes to nutrition programs because he needs Contributing Editor Jerry Hagstrom is the founder and executive Democratic votes to get the bill through the Senate. editor of The Hagstrom Report, which may be found at But the real reason moving the farm bill may be difficult www.HagstromReport.com. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

0321LAYOUT outside influences.indd 7

national journal daily

7

3/20/18 9:40 PM