Vilsack: Farm bill critical to Fla.

President Obama recently urged Congress to reach a compromise on the farm bill — the multiyear plan for agricultural policy. Farm bills used to pass with bipartisan support, but the latest version has been tied up more than a year. Some lawmakers have taken aim at the billions of dollars in agricultural subsidies in the bill, and the parties have deadlocked over how much to cut from the food-stamp program.

As U.S. agriculture secretary, TomVilsack is the Obama administration’s point man on the legislation. In an email interview with Opinions Editor Paul Owens, Vilsack argued there are multiple reasons to pass a farm bill. Why is it important that Congress pass a farm bill? The farm bill provides crucial financial support for America’s farmers, ranchers and producers when they experience losses to crops and livestock due to natural disasters. The safety net allows farmers, ranchers, and producers to manage that financial risk, which enables them to continue to provide a safe and abundant food supply that benefits all Americans. At the same time, the farm bill gives low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and working families a helping hand with nutrition assistance. So, the farm bill is really a food bill. Are there good reasons for members of both parties to get behind a bill? The farm bill supports job growth, trade promotion, and energy security through programs that provide resources for small businesses locating or expanding in rural communities, companies that export our ag products around the world, and manufacturers producing and providing renewable fuel and energy. So, the farm bill is really a jobs bill, a trade bill and an energy bill. Would the bill change or reform current farm poliThe farm bill reforms the financial safety net for farmers by eliminating direct payments to producers, which they have received in good times and tough times, and replacing these payments with a system that gives help only when help is needed.

This reform saves billions of dollars over a10-year period. So the farm bill is really a reform and deficit-reduction bill.

cies? What stake does Florida have in the bill’s passage? Florida’s important citrus industry is fighting for its life against citrus greening, which has caused great damage to Florida’s orange crop. Research provided in part by farm bill programs is underway to help mitigate and ultimately eliminate the risks of citrus greening.

The farm bill supports critically important research in crop and livestock production, food safety, nutrition and climate-change impacts on agriculture.

At the same time, farm bill programs have been instrumental in efforts to conserve and protect the Florida Everglades — and a new farm bill would provide conservation programs that farmers, ranchers, and landowners could continue to use to protect the soil and water in Florida and across the nation.

So, the farm bill is really a research bill and a conservation bill. Do you support the effort from Republicans to put nutrition programs and farm assistance in separate bills? Historically, the passage of a farm bill required an alliance between supporters of farm programs and nutrition assistance. Farmers represent less than1percent of America’s population, so that alliance remains important in getting support for farm programs that have helped recently to achieve record farm exports, conservation activities and farm income. Ending the alliance between supporters of farm programs and nutrition assistance will erode support for these important farm programs at a time when they are needed most. Will the continuing struggle over the federal budget make passing a farm bill harder? In addition to providing budget savings by reforming the farm safety net, passage of a farm bill would also provide a model of bipartisan cooperation that could yield a budget bill and a comprehensive immigration reform bill.