The House and Senate last week both unanimously voted to extend the farm bill after failing to complete action before the bill's April 18 deadline. President Bush reluctantly signed the extension on Friday, setting a new April 25 deadline.

As we reported last week, on April 11 the Senate put forward a proposal, totaling $12.5 billion over baseline spending, including $4.05 billion for a permanent disaster program and a $2.5 billion tax package.  

Conferees met a number of times throughout last week, both publicly and behind closed doors, with some progress made. House conferees accepted the Senate's ag-related provisions, but not the $2.5 billion tax package or its offset. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., said he would support the permanent disaster program, but the funding offset has yet to be determined.  

The conferees are planning to meet again publicly on Tuesday where they hope to resolve outstanding issues including the offsets for the $10 billion over baseline spending, plus the $4 billion for the disaster program; and the $2.5 billion tax package. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin indicated that if an agreement is not reached by Tuesday, he will begin asking for votes on proposals made by the Senate.

Stay tuned to nfu.org for the latest farm bill information and, if you haven't done so already, tell your representatives to pass a farm bill.

 

On April 17, NFU President Tom Buis appeared on NPR's Marketplace to discuss the on-going farm bill negotiations. Buis commented on the one-week farm bill extension Congress passed, as well as increasing input costs for farmers.

 

Buis noted that farm bills are written for bad years; and this year, even though commodity prices are high, many farmers are still struggling to hang on.

 

"Commodity prices are higher than they've been on a variety of commodities, but the input costs to those producers have skyrocketed, as well," Buis said.

 

Listen to audio.

 

Lila Watkins lives in Claremore, Okla., with her husband Ralph, and the couple has been happily married for 58 years. Both Lila and Ralph are lifetime members of Oklahoma Farmers Union. Lila has been very involved, but not in a typical way. She has attended local and state meetings, as well as a few national conventions, but Lila has also been the All-States Leadership Camp nurse for twenty years.

 

"To watch and follow the development of our young people throughout the country has been a great joy for me," Lila said. "I am so grateful to be part of this organization and to be able to help our youth learn about Farmers Union."

 

Continue reading Lila's story.

 

 

Iowa Farmers Union President Chris Petersen was on Capitol Hill last Wednesday, April 16, testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

 

Petersen spoke in support of the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007 saying, "Farmers and ranchers have long acknowledged that clean, safe water is critical to the success of their agriculture operations. We applaud efforts by Congress to clarify the intent of clean water legislation."

 

Read Petersen's testimony.

Read IFU's release.

 

Iowa: On April 16, Iowa Farmers Union, along with several other organizations, including the Sierra Club and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, gathered at Iowa's Capitol building in Des Moines to speak out against pro-CAFO legislation.

 

The Odor Study Bill, HF 2688 and SF 2362, seeks to appropriate $22.8 million in taxpayer dollars over the next five years to fund another study of how to mitigate odor from livestock confinements. The legislation is seen as a delaying tactic for the confinement industry to continue building units - an estimated 2,250 during the length of the study, according to the DNR - with little or no regulation.

 

The CAFO legislation opponents held a news conference at the capitol to gain exposure of the issue and to hopefully kill the legislation.

 

Have NFU news you want to share? Send any info about meetings, conventions, state fairs, individual members' success, state government news, or anything else relevant to NFU and its members to Amber Birtcher.

 

North Dakota Farmers Union Ladies' Luncheon

April 26      12:00 pm      Pettibone Community Building - Kidder Co.

 

Nebraska Farmers Union Hosts Kleeb-Raimondo Debate

April 26      1:00 pm        State Theatre - Lincoln, Neb.

 

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union County Fun Day

April 27      10:00 am      Pueblo County FU - Pueblo, Colo.

Have an upcoming event you would like to share? Send the event, date, time and location to Amber Birtcher.

 

 

View a printable version of Farmer's Share.

 

Taken from "Agricultural Prices," USDA/NASS.

Taken from "Agricultural Prices," USDA/NASS.