This week the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture both voted to approve and send their versions of a 5-year Farm Bill to their respective floors. Debate on the Farm Bill in the House is expected sometime in June following the Memorial Day recess. The Senate is expected to consider their bill on the floor next week.
This week NASF joined the Forests in the Farm Bill coalition representing forest owners, conservationists, hunters, anglers, forest product manufacturers, and natural resource professionals in a letter urging congressional leaders to pass a comprehensive five-year Farm Bill.
The Coalition outlined priorities addressed in the Farm Bill including:
Dear Speaker Boehner and Leaders Cantor and Pelosi:
On behalf of the millions of forest owners, conservationists, hunters, anglers, forest product manufacturers, and natural resource professionals represented in the Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition, we are writing to urge you to pass comprehensive five-year Farm Bill legislation.
NASF and a wide-sweeping coalition of 235 organizations sent a letter to Congressional leadership this week urging the passage of a new five-year farm bill to be signed into law by the end of the legislative session.
Last Thursday, September 20, House Speaker John Boehner announced that there will not be a vote in the House on an extension or reauthorization of the Farm Bill before the elections. The House has adjourned until in November 13 to allow members to return home to campaign. Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have agreed to have both chambers act on the Farm Bill during the lame duck session following the election.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a drought relief package (HR 6233) in response to the dry conditions plaguing many U.S. states. Congress has an impending deadline of September 30, to extend or reauthorize the 2008 Farm Bill.
This morning, the House Agriculture Committee voted (35-11) to approve its version of the Farm Bill. The bill includes the forestry-related provisions included in the draft put out late last week. The Committee did not make any changes to the Conservation Title found in the draft, but two additional amendments to the Forestry Title were approved including:
