2007 Farm Bill Ready for the Senate Floor

Thursday, October 25, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee finally approved the 2007 Farm Bill, nearly three months after the House passed its own version of the reauthorization legislation. The two-day mark up came to an end after Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) was finally able to strike a deal with opposition to a change in certain farm subsidy programs. The committee report includes an expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), contingent on available funds.

Sen. Harkin’s proposal for the FFVP includes expanding into all 50 states, though the bill does not set concrete funding levels for the program. Instead, the bill directs $225 million for FY08, if the funding is available. From there, it calls for annual appropriations to dictate the spending levels, though Harkin claims it will lead to about $1.1 billion over five years. Each year, each of the 50 states will receive 1% of the available funds for the program, with the remaining funds allocated based on states’ proportion of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Program.

State educational agencies (SEAs) are directed to allocate the funds to schools where at least 50% of their students are eligible for free or reduce price lunches. Per student spending at an individual school must be between $50 and $75. If there are an insufficient number of schools that meet the 50% requirement, SEAs are directed to give priority to schools with higher proportions of student eligible for free or reduced price lunches. SEAs are also directed to give priority to schools that combine efforts under the FFVP program with additional nutrition and healthy living programs.

Debate slowed when Sen. Harkin found himself at odds with other members regarding his plan for changes to certain farm subsidies. Farmers would have the option of opting out of the current system, based on cyclical payments around a minimum price level for crops, choosing instead payments based on state’s targeted price levels. Harkin brokered a deal where farmers would have a two year period to make the transition, a compromise that took the committee over the last divisive issue, clearing the bill for approval.

There is no clear timeline for when the Senate will consider the legislation, though Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has said that the Senate will not consider any more appropriations bills until the President vetoes or signs the Labor-HHS-Education bill, freeing up additional time on the Senate calendar. Reid and Harkin originally planned to push the Farm Bill through the Senate in September, but the appropriations schedule pushed most other bills to the bottom of the priority list. Now, that Reid has cleared the schedule, at least for the next few weeks, the Senate is free to consider the farm bill, possibly as early as next week.

Resources:
Catharine Richert and Michael Teitelbaum, “Senate Panel Approves 2007 Farm Bill,” CQ Today, October 25, 2007.
Geof Koss, “Senate Agriculture Panel Clears Farm Bill After Deal on Key Amendment,” Congress Now, October 25, 2007.
Author: SAS