By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative
Yesterday the Senate debated and voted on 25 amendments to the 2012 Farm Bill, and debate will continue throughout the day today with a vote on final passage of the bill likely to occur this evening.
Some of yesterday’s notable amendment votes and NFU victories included:
- Passage of a Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, amendment (#2167) providing payment limitations for marketing loan gains and loan deficiency payments. NFU supported the amendment, which passed 75-24.
- Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., submitted an amendment to make several changes to the Value-Added Producer Grant program that would drastically affect the program’s ability to serve farmers and ranchers. NFU opposed the amendment, which failed, 38-61, and we will be scoring Senators’ votes for our election-year scorecard.
- An amendment (#2217) offered by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., to eliminate the Organic Certification Cost-Share Program was vehemently opposed by NFU and failed, 42-57.
- The Senate passed by voice vote an NFU-supported amendment (# 2187) to extend eligibility for certain emergency loans to commercial fishermen. The amendment was offered by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.)
This link includes a list of all amendments voted on yesterday, and this link includes a list of the amendments planned to be debated today at the conclusion of unrelated debate on a motion to proceed to a joint resolution regarding Environmental Protection Agency emission standards. In the meantime, keep asking your Senators to support final passage of the Farm Bill.