National Association of Farm Broadcasters Washington reporter Stuart Doan reports that USDA Forecasts farmers net earnings will decline again in 2010. House Ag Ranking Republican Frank Lucas said the bipartisan vote reflects the sentiment in our letter to the budget committee, which calls for maintaining the compromise of the '08 Farm Bill in rejecting the President's budget proposals.
Lucas which recommend that Congress lower the adjusted gross income threshold for farm and conservation payment recipients by $250,000 and reduce direct payments 25%. Speaking to reporters, Chairman Colin Peterson called the ideas for cutting farm spending "misguided" and he took the Obama USDA to task for using this same playbook as the Bush USDA.
Peterson says that they both kind of took the same tactic, going off on tangents about payments and we're tired of them arguing about things. That's not what the issues are, that are facing agriculture."
On another matter, the Ag Panel voted to reauthorize state agriculture mediation programs through 2015.
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