Farm Bill update

From SAF:

House Republicans have begun appointing members to a conference committee, so as soon as the Democratic members are named, formal discussions on the wide differences between the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill can begin.

Informal staff discussions have been going on, but the major differences between the two bills, especially on the nutrition programs, mean that discussions are likely to be protracted.

The American Farm Bureau has walked away from a carefully crafted compromise linking two major programs (conservation compliance and crop insurance) — a decision which likely further impact negotiations between the House and Senate, although the action does not significantly impact the specialty crops provision of the bill which are important to the floral industry.

SAF met Monday with the House Agriculture Committee staff to discuss several of the important provisions of the House bill as they relate to specialty crop research.