Shift in Congress could aid state farmers
US - Funding could grow with neighboring Democrats in power. The switch to Democratic control of Congress could give Wisconsin Holsteins a hoof up in the perpetual struggle over agriculture funding.
14 December 2006
1 minute read
Agriculture policy in Congress is rarely a partisan issue, because few politicians want to be seen as anti-farmer. But it's certainly a regional issue, with political leaders fighting for whatever is grown or raised in their area, whether it's peanuts, hogs, cranberries or rice.
So Wisconsin farmers are happy to see the chairmanships of the Senate and House agriculture committees change from the South to the North with Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota due to take over for Republicans from Georgia and Virginia.
That could mean less support for commodities primarily grown in Southern states, such as cotton, sugar and rice, and more support for dairy. It also might mean that Congress will pass a new farm bill to replace the one that expires in September rather than extending it.
"The shift in power now goes from the South to the North," Bill Bruins, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, said last week at the group's annual meeting in Middleton. "We're not sure what all that means, but I think there's a stronger chance of writing a new farm bill rather than extending the current one, which is a good thing."
Source: JS Online
