Well, if you had told me that one of the two major bills we’ve been watching in Washington would have been voted down and one would be looking good for passage I would have totally been backward on which was which. The House version of the Farm Bill failed yesterday on by a 195 to 234 margin.
Once debate on the bill began, and well over 100 amendments were filed, most expected the debate to go well into next week. Late Wednesday, an agreement was reached on what amendments would be taken up and the order. Most knew the vote was going to be very close. Democrats began to solidify against the bill due to a large cut in the SNAP program. Republicans were mostly happy with the bill with several feeling the cuts weren’t high enough in SNAP and some not seeing enough reform in crop subsidies. A handful of last hour debates and votes seemed to seal the deal and sink the bill. Amendments dealing with Sugar, Dairy and “work for foodstamps” swung some Republicans and a number of Democrats away from the bill.
Where do we go from here? That seems to be the trillion dollar question. While not typical, the bill can be brought up again. Would it have the amendments it gained in the past week? Would it start fresh with the Ag Committee’s version? No one knows. Technically, Continue reading →
A story has been making the rounds for the past couple days and I thought it was too good not to pass along. Former Congressman Larry Combest from Texas wrote the article for The Hill, a congressional newspaper. Combest is the former chairman of the House Ag Committee and a true friend of cotton. His analysis is dead on as far as I can tell and encapsulates the frustration those trying to help our farmers and agribusinesses feel. Please take a few minutes to read the article. Its fairly short but underscores the situation we face. It’s not just Congress. Its the world that we must fight for our survival.