Stenholm gives Farm Bill update

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas

April 11, 2002 -- "It is true. You will not find a greater supporter of Farm Credit than Charles Stenholm for one small reason. I can't do without you. America can't do without," said U.S. Congressman Charles Stenholm to those gathered at the recent Tenth Farm Credit District annual stockholders meeting in San Antonio.

Speaking to a room of bankers and producers from Texas, New Mexico, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, Stenholm gave an update on the 2002 Farm Bill that is still in Congress. While the House of Representatives passed their bill in October, the Senate debated until earlier this spring before agreeing on a 1,333-page bill, versus the 379-page House bill.

Stenholm is the ranking Democrat and has the most seniority on the House Agricultural Committee. He encouraged various agricultural groups to make their needs known to their representatives, because with all of the recent redistricting, many representatives come from urban areas and are unaware of producers' needs.

"Unless you indicate to members of Congress and our staffs as to what Farm Credit needs, in the way of maintaining and continuing the current legislation, and changing legislation and regulations, and unless you believe they need educating, i.e. lobbying, it will not get done," said Stenholm.

He reminded the audience that the '95-'96 Freedom to Farm Bill was supposed to have been the last farm bill, and the idea was to get government out of agriculture. It didn't turn out that way.

"We now understand that unless our government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us, we're not going to make it," he said.

Although hearings have been held around the country, Stenholm said that while the known problems were always addressed, solutions or suggestions were not brought forward.

"We know what the problem is ... low prices ... that's the problem," he added.

According to Stenholm, the House proposes an 85 percent increase in conservation in the next 10 years.

"You've heard me speak before, several times in the last year, and I said this farm bill would be the greenest farm bill in the history of our country," said Stenholm.

Only if the House and the Senate can come to certain compromises.

He said that it is absolutely critical that we do invest taxpayers' money in the conservation of soil and water, but do it wisely.

While the farm bill passed the House with a vote of 290, with Democrats and Republicans almost even, many people aren't happy with the bill.

"The Senate is the problem," said Stenholm.

Out of the approximately 280 million people in the United States, only two million are producers. Many of the larger group do not understand why money should be allocated to help the farmers and ranchers, although everyone profits from agriculture.

According to Stenholm, the Senate made a $6 billion mistake it their bill, but so far, they've refused to go back and "rationalize the numbers.

"The only place you're going to find this money, really, is to take it out of commodities," he said.

When Congress reconvenes, the week of April 8, Stenholm believes that compromises will be made so that the bill can be sent to President Bush for his signature by April 15.

If there is no farm bill for 2002, there will ... probably ... not be a bill for 2003, according to Stenholm, because of budget considerations.

He believes that American producers can provide everything America needs, if they are allowed to do so by our government.

"Some of the leaders are just not willing to step up to the plate," said Stenholm. "Our farms and ranches have and will always make America a little cut above (the rest of the world)."

He addressed the need for cattlemen to educate members of Congress of their needs as well as row farmers. Stenholm said that some regulations put in place by the United States have proven to haunt them, such as the Karnal Bunt (wheat fungus) problems that originated in about '25 in India and in the '50s in Mexico.

The United States made the decision to put a "zero tolerance" stipulation on bringing this grain into the country, and now, it is present in grain grown in parts of Texas and other states. Stenholm said that because one grain may have the disease, thousands of pounds of good grain cannot be sold. He believes there needs to be changes in this.

In closing, Stenholm reiterated that conservation will be the largest area of compromise in the farm bill, because it will come out of the producers' pockets.

"The toughest vote any member of the Congress can ever vote for is to raise taxes on you, because you're overtaxed," said Stenholm.

His suggestion to complete the bill by April 15 is to lock the Congress in a room "without food or water" and he bets they can come up with a program.