Washington insiders dish on farm bill, presidential election
Washington insiders dish on farm bill, presidential election
WASHINGTON -- With the fight for the farm bill in full swing and the presidential election heating up, attendees of the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Public Policy Conference heard an insider perspective during the Sept. 12-14 conference.
"There is tremendous pressure to complete the farm bill this year," said National Journal reporter Jerry Hagstrom, who was one of three reporters invited to the "Meet the Press" session at the conference. If President Bush vetoes the bill, it would have severe ramifications for farm-state Republicans running for re-election, he said.
Members of Congress do not want to see the farm bill emerge as a campaign issue next year, said Catharine Richert, a reporter for Congressional Quarterly.
The Sept. 13 session gave produce business leaders the opportunity to hear a different perspective from reporters who cover the agriculture beat on a daily basis.
Mr. Hagstrom predicted, however, that agricultural producers will have to fight hard to keep the money for which they fought in the House-passed farm bill.
It all depends on the funding mechanism to which the Senate committee chairmen agree, said Washington Post reporter Dan Morgan. Holding on to that money will be a real challenge in the next six weeks, he said.
When asked about prospects for food-safety legislation, Ms. Richert said that Congress is interested in the food-safety issue because it boils down to "children and pets." The import-safety story seems to expand on a daily basis, she said, pushing Congress to move "incrementally" with food-safety law changes.
But bills to revamp the U.S. Food & Drug Administration are not likely to come up until after the farm bill is settled, said Mr. Hagstrom. "It could be a very big issue for 2009."
Other speakers, including Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) adviser Gene Sperling, who was a former White House National Economic Adviser to President Clinton, and MSNBC anchor Tucker Carlson, who spoke about the historic nature of the upcoming election in light of the war in Iraq, focused on the bruising presidential race.
Another insider, Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), received the United Fresh Congressional Leadership Award for his support of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry at the group's welcoming reception. Among his accomplishments, Rep. Farr pushed for $25 million in produce-safety research grants in the House version of the farm bill.
"It was a great honor to receive the congressional leadership award from United Fresh," Rep. Farr told The Produce News.
"This year, ag legislation is headed in a new direction. We're finally offering support for the healthy fruit and vegetable farmers who produce the food our children should be eating. It's great for my district on California's Central Coast, and it's great for the nation," said the California congressman. "When a farm bill becomes a health bill, it's a clear sign we're moving in the right direction."
"There is tremendous pressure to complete the farm bill this year," said National Journal reporter Jerry Hagstrom, who was one of three reporters invited to the "Meet the Press" session at the conference. If President Bush vetoes the bill, it would have severe ramifications for farm-state Republicans running for re-election, he said.
Members of Congress do not want to see the farm bill emerge as a campaign issue next year, said Catharine Richert, a reporter for Congressional Quarterly.
The Sept. 13 session gave produce business leaders the opportunity to hear a different perspective from reporters who cover the agriculture beat on a daily basis.
Mr. Hagstrom predicted, however, that agricultural producers will have to fight hard to keep the money for which they fought in the House-passed farm bill.
It all depends on the funding mechanism to which the Senate committee chairmen agree, said Washington Post reporter Dan Morgan. Holding on to that money will be a real challenge in the next six weeks, he said.
When asked about prospects for food-safety legislation, Ms. Richert said that Congress is interested in the food-safety issue because it boils down to "children and pets." The import-safety story seems to expand on a daily basis, she said, pushing Congress to move "incrementally" with food-safety law changes.
But bills to revamp the U.S. Food & Drug Administration are not likely to come up until after the farm bill is settled, said Mr. Hagstrom. "It could be a very big issue for 2009."
Other speakers, including Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) adviser Gene Sperling, who was a former White House National Economic Adviser to President Clinton, and MSNBC anchor Tucker Carlson, who spoke about the historic nature of the upcoming election in light of the war in Iraq, focused on the bruising presidential race.
Another insider, Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), received the United Fresh Congressional Leadership Award for his support of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry at the group's welcoming reception. Among his accomplishments, Rep. Farr pushed for $25 million in produce-safety research grants in the House version of the farm bill.
"It was a great honor to receive the congressional leadership award from United Fresh," Rep. Farr told The Produce News.
"This year, ag legislation is headed in a new direction. We're finally offering support for the healthy fruit and vegetable farmers who produce the food our children should be eating. It's great for my district on California's Central Coast, and it's great for the nation," said the California congressman. "When a farm bill becomes a health bill, it's a clear sign we're moving in the right direction."
