Rick Jordahl, Associate Editor, Pork Network  |   March 29, 2012 resize text

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R. Okla., said that he believes there is a “really strong chance” that the 2008 Farm Bill will be extended for another year. The comments were made in an interview with Mike Adams, host of AgriTalk.

Because of procedures required to pass a new farm bill, including writing the law, rules and regulations, as well as ensuring that producers understand what all is involved, Lucas believes “we’re kind of late in the game right now to have a new farm bill in place for the fall planting season.”

Lucas said that if the 2008 Farm Bill is extended it would have to carry forward the same set of farm supports currently in place, “not just pieces and parts.”

“I can’t have farmers and ranchers caught in the twilight zone between the old farm bill and the new farm bill. You have to extend the safety net that exists in the 2008 Farm Bill until the 2012, or 2013 Farm Bill can kick in,” Lucas said.

Both the 2002 and the 2008 Farm Bills were passed after one-year extensions, according to Lucas.

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Comments (1) Leave a comment 

WI  |  March, 29, 2012 at 09:15 PM

Typical of congress the senate and this adminstration, just kick the can down the road and make the hard decisions another day. When are these politicians going to realize that some hard decisions have to be made and yes programs have to be cut? It seems all they are interested in is getting themselves reelected and then more deadlock untill the next election. But in the meantime it is spend, spend and spend some more.