Before leaving for a two-week recess, Congress passed, and the
President signed, an extension of the current Farm Bill through April
18. In signing the extension, the President said "if a final
agreement is not reached by April 18, I call on Congress to extend
current law for at least one year. While long-term extension of
current law is not the desired outcome, I believe the government has
a responsibility to provide America's farmers and ranchers with a
timely and predictable farm program -- not multiple short-term
extensions of current law..."

"I am eager to sign a farm bill that provides a safety net for
farmers, includes significant farm program reform similar to the
Administration's farm bill proposal, and does not include tax
increases," said the President. "I have made clear the framework of
an agreement that will garner my signature and urge Congress to pass
a bill that meets these criteria."

With House and Senate members home for two weeks on recess, now is an
excellent time to try to schedule meetings with Senate and House
members, and to urge them to support stronger funding for
conservation programs in the Farm Bill.

Conservation programs remain on the chopping block. A proposal to cut
the Conservation Reserve Program from 39.2 million acres to just 32
million acres, and to cut the Wetlands Reserve Program from 250,000
acres to just 200,000 acres per year, is still a very real threat.

House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Ranking
Republican Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) initially said their committee would
work on a Farm Bill that would spend no more than the current budget
baseline ($280 billion over five years, or $597 over 10 years). That
would likely mean no increase for conservation and most other
titles.

However, Greenwire reported Friday afternoon that Senate negotiators
have talked them out of that approach -- at least for now. Rep.
Goodlatte said "we are going to work with how we can reach agreement
on a $10 billion-above-baseline bill, but if in a week or so we don't
see the money forthcoming, we are going to continue to work on what
to do if we don't have the money -- and that's a baseline bill,"

A continuing dispute is between the Senate Finance Committee and
House Agriculture Committee. Senate Finance provided a package of
revenue that helped fund increases in conservation and other funding
for the Senate Farm Bill. That package included tax credits for the
Grassland Reserve Program, Conservation Reserve Program and Wetlands
Reserve Program that would replace cash payments for some producers.
But, House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson has said the
committee is unwilling to give up jurisdiction over farm programs to
another committee.

Senate and House members need to hear from individuals and
organizations who care about conservation funding in the Farm Bill
over the next two weeks. If you would like help with updates or
materials, or information for reporters or editors, feel free to
contact us.

Duane Hovorka