An amalgam of budget hawks, environmentalists and food movement activists are scheduled to call for reform of U.S. food and ag policy today as Rep. Earl Blumenauer unveils legislation to challenge the farm bill being assembled by the House Agriculture Committee. For months, the Oregon Democrat has spoken in favor of stricter limits on farm subsidies, stronger requirements for land stewardship to qualify for subsidized crop insurance, and reforming public nutrition programs so food stamp recipients can buy more fruits and vegetables and include fresh, local produce in school meals.
Like many other farm bill reformers, Blumenauer is not a member of the Agriculture Committee, so his best hope for success is to amend the farm bill to reflect his goals during House debate. House Agriculture chairman Michael Conaway has said his committee will vote on the 2018 farm bill shortly before House debate opens, as a way to minimize attacks for opponents. Reformers scored their greatest successes, to limit crop insurance subsidies to large operators, during House debate on the 2014 farm law.
The House defeated a farm bill for the first time in 2013 when Tea Party conservatives demanded the largest cuts in food stamps in a generation. Traditionally, a coalition of farm, conservation and antihunger groups is key to building farm bill support between rural and urban lawmakers.
Small-government advocates and conservative think tanks are aligning with environmentalists and the loosely allied food movement in this year’s challenge to farm supports.
Blumenauer has been part of unsuccessful attempts to revamp the farm bill in the past. He says the chaos that accompanied the election of President Trump and populist sentiment against entrenched programs will create an opening to revise farm policy. “If there is an open process on the House floor to deal with amendments, we’ll be in great shape,” he told Politico.
One of the groups calling for farm bill reform, the Environmental Working Group, said earlier this week that crop subsidies and crop insurance turn farmers into “double dippers” for federal support. “Who gets paid twice? This is the sort of ‘solution’ that can only come from Washington, and it’s costing taxpayers billions,” said EWG.
To read the “Growing Opportunities” report by Blumenauer that details his farm bill priorities, click here.