Sen. Dianne Feinstein opts not to offer AgJOBS to farm bill
Sen. Dianne Feinstein opts not to offer AgJOBS to farm bill
WASHINGTON -- The Senate continued work on the 2007 farm bill with hopes for a fix to agricultural worker shortages dashed and the threat of a veto looming.
"I had every intention of offering legislation to create a stable, reliable agricultural worker program -- known as AgJOBS -- as an amendment on the farm bill," Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said in a Nov. 5 statement. "A broad bipartisan coalition of members believes AgJOBS is a necessary solution to the crisis being faced by the agricultural industry. But in this session, unfortunately, you need more than broad support -- you need the right time and opportunity to line up as well.
"But this fight is not over," she added. "We will be seeking time for this bill on the Senate floor -- perhaps this winter or early next year."
"We have to trust her judgment" on deciding not to offer [AgJOBS] on the farm bill, Robert Guenther, senior vice president for public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association, told The Produce News. "If we would have lost, it could have killed it for two to three years." He added that advocates are eying the omnibus spending bill, which must pass this year to fund the federal government, as an option for an AgJOBs amendment.
In the meantime, Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Connor blasted the Senate version of the farm bill as senators began debating the bill Nov. 5.
"This bill increases trade-distorting support instead of lowering it, continues a defective safety net, contains little real reform, and uses tax increases and budget gimmicks to pay for priorities that deserve to be funded in an honest fashion," he said.
Mr. Connor also criticized Congress for enlisting more money for fruits and vegetables -- despite that being a priority for the administration -- without reforming farm payments.
"It is disappointing that the administration is already threatening a veto of this bill while the Senate is still considering this measure," Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a statement. "The administration takes issue with virtually every part of this bill -- even the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to school children.
"Farm families, rural communities and the nation are counting on the investments we make in this farm bill toward farm income protection, nutrition, conservation, renewable energy and rural development," Sen. Harkin added in his statement. "A veto of this measure will only delay those critical investments, which are needed now more than ever."
At least one senator predicted the bill would pass by a large enough margin to override a Bush veto.
Mr. Guenther said that the Senate needs to wrap up action on the farm bill by Nov. 16 in order to get it through the conference committee and to President Bush's desk before the end of the year. If lawmakers run out of time, the bill's new emphasis on specialty crop programs would be in jeopardy.
United Fresh and other trade groups are telling specialty crop producers to notify their senators about the importance of $3 billion in funding for programs, including over $1 billion for nutrition programs, and money for increased research, trade assistance and market promotion.
On the food-safety front, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) is planning to offer an amendment that would sunset the 12 food-safety agencies and replace them with one agency. The bill already includes a provision that would create a Congressional Bipartisan Food Safety Commission to look at harmonizing and updating food-safety standards.
"I had every intention of offering legislation to create a stable, reliable agricultural worker program -- known as AgJOBS -- as an amendment on the farm bill," Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said in a Nov. 5 statement. "A broad bipartisan coalition of members believes AgJOBS is a necessary solution to the crisis being faced by the agricultural industry. But in this session, unfortunately, you need more than broad support -- you need the right time and opportunity to line up as well.
"But this fight is not over," she added. "We will be seeking time for this bill on the Senate floor -- perhaps this winter or early next year."
"We have to trust her judgment" on deciding not to offer [AgJOBS] on the farm bill, Robert Guenther, senior vice president for public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association, told The Produce News. "If we would have lost, it could have killed it for two to three years." He added that advocates are eying the omnibus spending bill, which must pass this year to fund the federal government, as an option for an AgJOBs amendment.
In the meantime, Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Connor blasted the Senate version of the farm bill as senators began debating the bill Nov. 5.
"This bill increases trade-distorting support instead of lowering it, continues a defective safety net, contains little real reform, and uses tax increases and budget gimmicks to pay for priorities that deserve to be funded in an honest fashion," he said.
Mr. Connor also criticized Congress for enlisting more money for fruits and vegetables -- despite that being a priority for the administration -- without reforming farm payments.
"It is disappointing that the administration is already threatening a veto of this bill while the Senate is still considering this measure," Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a statement. "The administration takes issue with virtually every part of this bill -- even the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to school children.
"Farm families, rural communities and the nation are counting on the investments we make in this farm bill toward farm income protection, nutrition, conservation, renewable energy and rural development," Sen. Harkin added in his statement. "A veto of this measure will only delay those critical investments, which are needed now more than ever."
At least one senator predicted the bill would pass by a large enough margin to override a Bush veto.
Mr. Guenther said that the Senate needs to wrap up action on the farm bill by Nov. 16 in order to get it through the conference committee and to President Bush's desk before the end of the year. If lawmakers run out of time, the bill's new emphasis on specialty crop programs would be in jeopardy.
United Fresh and other trade groups are telling specialty crop producers to notify their senators about the importance of $3 billion in funding for programs, including over $1 billion for nutrition programs, and money for increased research, trade assistance and market promotion.
On the food-safety front, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) is planning to offer an amendment that would sunset the 12 food-safety agencies and replace them with one agency. The bill already includes a provision that would create a Congressional Bipartisan Food Safety Commission to look at harmonizing and updating food-safety standards.
