It's not going to be an easy task.
The next farm bill will be discussed and drafted during wartime, amid federal budget constraints and at a time when more members of the general public are further removed from the farm and more people realize the largest recipients of farm subsidies are large, wealthy farmers.
But that's not all, according to Bob Thompson, Gardner professor of agricultural policy at the University of Illinois.
Recent World Trade Organization rulings on U.S. farm subsidies will come into play. And to make matters even more challenging, farm groups may not be as united as they have been in the past, according to Thompson, who has worked for the USDA, World Bank and was dean of Purdue University's agriculture school.
Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Farm Progress Show site in Decatur on Monday, Thompson spoke to a group of farmers, agribusiness professionals and members of the media. He offered his take on what is at stake with the 2007 Farm Bill. A panel discussion followed.
"The 2007 Farm Bill is coming up real quick. It could be under pressure not seen for some decades. It's a wartime farm bill, an international farm bill," said Willie Vogt, corporate editorial director for Farm Progress magazines. The company organized the event and plans to send a transcript to legislators.
Although he did not participate in the forum, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke stopped by the event to offer a few thoughts about the upcoming bill. The department does not draft farm policy.
"What happens in the '07 bill will have a direct impact on what we do," he said, because the department is a regulatory body.
Hartke said he anticipates a visit in the future by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. Johanns and other USDA officials are holding open forums around the country to gather input about farm policy. No forums are currently scheduled for the area.
In the meantime, people who have opinions about how farm policy affects them can write letters to their legislators, Thompson said. Legislators are always concerned about how policy would affect their constituents, he said.News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
