Jim Bacchus recently called for cutting farm subsidies as a way to reduce the U.S. budget deficit and give a boost to the Doha Round. So what happened with farm subsidies in the debt deal? Well, it remains to be seen, from what I've read so far. Here's Reuters:
Congress could rewrite U.S. farm policy, from crop subsidies to land stewardship and new-generation biofuels, this year under the deficit reduction plan agreed by lawmakers and the White House.
The plan, which faced key votes on Monday, would create a 12-member "super committee" to find $1.5 trillion in savings from the tax code and entitlement programs, which include crop supports.
"The farm bill rewrite may occur this year," said Rep Michael Conaway, chairman of a key House Agriculture subcommittee, in an assessment shared by officials at two farm groups.
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Lawmakers would not be allowed to amend the committee package, which would face a vote by Dec 23. Far-ranging automatic cuts would be made in federal spending if the plan is rejected, although programs for the poor would be shielded.
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"Nutrition programs will be on the table along with everything else," said Conaway. Public nutrition programs, such as food stamps, account for the bulk of Agriculture Department spending. A farm subsidy known as the direct payment, costing $5 billion a year, was cited frequently as a target for deep cuts or elimination.
Leaders of the farm panels have planned to draft the farm law next year, just ahead of expiration of the 2008 law. Written every few years, farm bills are panoramic legislation that cover farm subsidy, export promotion, agricultural research, renewable energy and public nutrition programs.
Farm-program cuts would not take effect until 2013 under the deficit reduction plan, so lawmakers still might draft a farm bill next year. Congressional staff workers said there were few details of how the deficit plan would affect agriculture.
