Some farm groups and lawmakers would like to see a farm bill included as part of any legislation written to avert the fiscal cliff. But the Environmental Working Group joined several groups this week to urge the opposite. The groups that called on lawmakers to stop a secret farm bill from being attached to legislation designed to straighten out the nation's finances during a press conference claim the proposed farm bill would cost a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. EWG Vice President of Government Affairs Scott Faber said it would be unconscionable for our nation's leaders to bypass the House and attach a one-trillion dollar farm bill to a fiscal cliff deal. Faber argued it would be simply shocking for Congress to ask ordinary Americans to contribute to deficit reduction while potentially giving more subsidies to farm millionaires and possibly further exposing taxpayers to liability for farm payments. According to Faber - the time to pass a farm bill has come and gone. He said Congress should pass a fiscally responsible one-year extension of farm and food programs and allow the House to debate the future of farm subsidies.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the House Ag Committee's farm bill would save more than 35-billion dollars. The Senate bill is estimated to save more than 23-billion. But Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense Steve Ellis - who joined Faber and others for the press conference - said the bills don't save enough, preserve ridiculous crop insurance subsidies and create new entitlement programs. Andrew Moylan of the R Street Institute would like to see a full farm bill process next year. He believes much more savings is needed - as well as more significant policy reforms.
Original Publication URL: http://kneb.com/news/agricultural/index.php?more=kpyfx6yh
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