New Administration, New Farm Bill

[JimMeade]

It will be interesting, to say the least, to consider what will happen in the next farm bill.  We may have some foreign trade implications to consider.  

Will we get a pull-back on crop insurance subsidies?

Will there be an effort to disconnecte SNAP from farm supports, and what is the implication if that happens?

My totally uninformed wonder is if there is a reduction in farm support budgets.  Wouldn't surprise me.

[BA Deere]

Well, if like the last farmbill we say "Leave us alone and let us farm!"  I think "these guys" will be happy to oblige.   If it appears that farm exports will be a pawn in the next round of trade, rearranging deckchairs, we should think hard before begging daddy to throw away the training wheels.   Some kind of minmum price support, in exchange for a modest set-aside might keep us warm on a cold 2019 night and a little grub on the table.   I`ll go along with what everyone else  agrees to, I`ll have to, but we shouldn`t automatically throw out the bathwater without looking.

[sw363535]

If no one protests on our behalf we will know where we stand..  That will be as low as we can get...

Removing snap may be the only way we get the kids to keep marching...

If they don't we won't get the news except by email to our previous addresses.

[JCCWIS]

I expect farm supports to drop dramatically.............as in lower crop ins. subsidy.........no ARC or other commodity supports......maybe a set aside will be required to permit production on remaining acres.

Pres. DT has way too many other spending plans to fund or borrow for.....such projects as the WALL......rebuilding military ......rebuilding roads , streets , bridges....tax cuts for the rich so they can hire moreworkers to get business moving again !!!!!

  Ag is doing GREAT right now....nobody losing the farm.....still able to pay $200 -$300 land rent....$250 - $300 seed corn.....fert. and weed control down. 60 - 75 bu bean avgs and 225 - 275 bu corn field avgs. Prices a little low but just rent or buy more $8000  -$12000 per acre land and will be GOOD !

  New Pres.= New priorities 

John

[JimMeade]

Some initial discussion from farm bill designers is getting out the message that support is needed now.  In fact, maybe more or at least more efficient support.  Like waiting for money next year may drag out the pain for a  long time when the money is needed right now.

https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2017/02/115th-congress-starts-farm-bill-discussions-focusing-far...

[bruce MN]

Tea Party caucus that holds the House hostage will not likely be thrilled over any farm program discussions that aren't about trimming current expenditures. Not your Daddy's Chamber of Commerce Republicans.

Not that the Ag Industrial Complex can't steamroll them to get cash out there to buy $400 seed corn and make the combine payment, but it won't be as quiet or seamless as it generally has been. 

[JimMeade]

Perdue, assuming he is confirmed, will probably be friendly to the notion that cotton needs to be a covered crop again.  As usual, we are likely to get into a Southern vs Northern perspective.  The South likes the big, dedicated payments (% of parity) and the North wants something more flexible.  

Illlinois is doing a recap of the history of the farm bill.  I hate to admit it, but I recall a lot of the discussion brought back from the Truman/Eisenhower days.

http://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2017/02/reviewing-farm-bill-history-agricultural-act-1954.html

[bruce MN]

😊

Me too!  Waiting for the whippersnappers to catch on to the "wisdom of the ages", but then realizing that when we were them we probably didn't.