Farm bill headed to White House, PILT money included

After several years of setbacks, the U.S. Senate approved a sweeping farm bill by 68-32 and sent it to President Obama on Feb. 4. The House passed the bill earlier, and White House staff said the President will sign the bill on Feb. 7.

The bill covers a wide range of programs, including food stamps for 47 million recipients and crop subsidies for peanut growers in the South, corn farmers in the Midwest and even maple syrup producers in the Northeast.

The biggest item in the bill is the food stamp program, which provides assistance to one in seven Americans. The bill will cut that assistance by $800 million, about 1 percent.

House Republicans had wanted the $80 billion a year food stamp program cut even further, and that disagreement was one of the issues that delayed passage of the bill.

One way to gain support was to increase crop insurance for Midwest farmers, provide higher subsidies for Southern rice and peanut farmers, and land payments for Western states.

Obama said the farm bill isn’t perfect but would make a positive difference for rural communities around the U.S.

“This bill provides certainty to America’s farmers and ranchers, and contains a variety of commonsense reforms that my administration has consistently called for, including reforming and eliminating direct farm subsidies and providing assistance for farmers when they need it most,” the President said. “It will continue reducing our deficits without gutting the vital assistance programs millions of hardworking Americans count on to help put food on the table for their families. And it will support conservation of valuable lands, spur the development of renewable energy, and incentivize healthier nutrition for all Americans.’

Sen. Max Baucus, s the only member of Montana’s delegation to serve on an agriculture committee, led the effort to get the bill through the Senate. This is his sixth farm bill.

“Plain and simple, this is a victory for Montana,” Baucus said. “Farming and ranching is more than just growing food. It’s connecting with the land and understanding the value of hard work. It’s Montana’s heritage and our way of life. At the end of the day, I’m proud that both sides were able to come together to deliver a strong farm bill for Montana.”

Baucus helped get included in the bill a one-year extension of the payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) funding to rural counties with large tracts of federal land, such as Flathead County, where much of the area is national forest land.

Without the PILT extension, rural counties would lose funding for schools, roads, search and rescue crews and other important programs. Together with Secure Rural Schools Act funding, PILT brought nearly $50 million to Montana counties last year, Baucus said.

Sen. Jon Tester, a third-generation farmer, also supported the farm bill.

“After too many fits and starts, Montana farmers and ranchers finally have the long-term Farm Bill they need,” Tester said. “This is a responsible bill that supports production agriculture, saves taxpayers billions and lets our farmers and ranchers plan for the future. I will continue to support Montana’s hard-working producers that put food on our plates and drive our state’s number one industry.”

Rep. Steve Daines applauded the passage of the bill by the Senate.

“The long-overdue passage of a five-year farm bill by both the House and Senate is good news for Montana,” Daines said. “One in five Montana jobs relies on agriculture, and a five-year farm bill that protects and promotes Montana’s number one industry is critically important for our ag producers and rural communities.”

Gov. Steve Bullock also weighed in on the farm bill’s passage.

“This farm bill provides certainty, strengthens our agricultural industry and creates jobs, while ensuring food for those who need it the most — hungry children, seniors and veterans,” Bullock said. “The bill also extends payments in lieu of taxes, important for local governments and rural economies, while protecting and improving millions of acres of habitat that provide more hunting and fishing opportunities.”

The Montana Farmers Union thanked Sens. Baucus and Tester and Rep. Daines for their support of the bill.

“Montana’s family farmers and ranchers can get on with their chosen work of feeding and clothing our nation without the uncertainty of what legislation Congress might enact,” MFU said. “A five-year farm bill has been passed that includes an adequate safety net for producers and needy Americans as well as programmatic reforms.”

The Montana Farm Bureau also applauded passage of the farm bill.

“It’s about time,” MFB president Bob Hanson said. “The passage of the farm bill is early enough in the season that our farmers in Montana will be able to make educated decisions on which crops to plant this spring.”