TROUBLED TALKS: As your hosts scooped, House Ag Democrats huddled privately last week to dig in against GOP efforts to repurpose key climate and future nutrition funding in the farm bill to boost wider conservation projects, farm commodity programs and key Democratic priorities. Top House Ag Democrat, Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) and other key Democrats are trying to keep moderate members of their party from supporting the GOP plans. Though, House Democrats haven’t put forward any alternative funding plans. Moderates’ challenges: So far, most moderate House Democrats have calculated it’s not worth the political backlash of publicly supporting the GOP plans at this point. Some also note even if a handful or more of them do break from their party, it wouldn’t be enough to move a farm bill given a large number of Democrats that will likely be needed amid opposition from hard-right Republicans. More than 130 Democrats will likely be needed to pass a farm bill if the legislation moves under suspension, as it’s likely headed, and Democratic leadership has pushed back against any changes to the IRA and nutrition programs. GOP push: House Ag Republicans have proposed repurposing about $15 billion in IRA climate-smart agriculture money and restricting future Thrifty Food Plan updates to SNAP to pay for spending increases in the farm bill’s safety net and key Democratic priorities. If Republicans insist on those reallocations from the IRA or changes to the TFP, then “a bipartisan bill is not going to come out of committee,” Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) told MA. House Ag Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.), who has been meeting one-on-one with a handful of Democrats in recent months to build support for his plans, shot back in an op-ed with Agri-Pulse. The boost to the safety net and other bipartisan priorities for the farm bill would cost more than $75 billion. “I am the only one who has put forth an actual plan to move a farm bill and pay for the bipartisan requests,” Thompson wrote, noting he’s “taken arrows and public missives at every turn.” As we’ve reported, Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has reached out to vulnerable House Democrats to urge them not to support the GOP plans. SENATE IMPASSE: In the upper chamber, senators are still locked in an impasse over similar funding questions. Stabenow has tried to break the logjam by putting forward a crop insurance plan that would provide more affordable options for farmers, but also force them to opt out of separate risk mitigation programs. Republicans have bristled at those plans. Notably, Senate Ag member John Hoeven (R-N.D.) told MA: “That’s not gonna work.” Hoeven has been working on his own crop insurance plans, according to five people familiar with the matter who were granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. His legislation would also provide more affordable crop insurance options, but wouldn’t force producers to opt out of separate risk mitigation programs. Funding puzzle: Stabenow doesn’t want to repurpose any climate or nutrition funding in order to fund Hoeven’s crop insurance plan. People familiar with the matter also say Stabenow discouraged Democrats from signing onto Hoeven’s plan before she circulated her own plan. “It’s no secret that Chairwoman Stabenow is focused on improving crop insurance,” Stabenow’s Senate Ag Committee spokesperson Jay Tilton said in response. “It’s the No. 1 risk management tool for farmers, and she has been very public with her proposal. She certainly welcomes new ideas and any real, bipartisan proposal that can bring us closer to the finish line.” Some commodity groups, including from Minnesota, have asked the state’s Senate Ag Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith to co-sponsor Hoeven’s yet-to-be unveiled crop insurance bill. Klobuchar is in line to be the top Democrat on the panel next Congress after Stabenow retires at the end of the year. Smith chairs the subcommittee on commodities, risk management, and trade. Both Klobuchar and Smith have been “noncommittal” about signing onto Hoeven’s bill, according to a person familiar with the matter, who was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. The person noted that if producers opt out of separate risk mitigation programs as required by Stabenow’s plan, “you might guess right, or you might guess wrong” on coverage needed for that year. Commodity groups now have their eyes on Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who is one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection this fall.
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment