- New Initiative Launched by Farm Bureau
- NCGA Concerned by Rail Request to Stop Shipping Anhydrous Ammonia
- BLM Looks to Tap Into Western Oil Shale Potential
- New Study Looks at the Drivers Behind Food Prices
- Union Pacific to release earnings report Thursday
- Decision on Critical Feed Use Expected
- Nebraska issues embargo on California, New Mexico cattle
- WTO Director-General Tweaks Geneva Process
- K-State Economist Sees Beef Output Cuts
- Upcoming K-State Agricultural Events
- Profitable Landownership Topic of Omaha Workshop
- USGC Increases Farmer Incomes
- U.S. Export Potential in China Promising, Strong in Japan, Taiwan
- NCGA participates in Washington news conference
- Additional Counties Approved For CRP Emergency Haying
- UNL Dairy Store Destination for Many
- Aug. 23 UNL Extension Organic Farm Tour Offered Near Mead
- Hearing set in challenge to emergency grazing
- AFBF Backs Change in Trucking Regulations
- U.S. Farmers Adapting to Varying Weather Patterns is Crucial
- Latest on the Salmonella Outbreak
- A Picture Perfect Summer To Show Cattle
- $6.9M Awarded for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects
- Inhofe Introduces Bill to Change Trucking Regulations
- Chambliss Concerned with Plan to Address Speculation
- One Small Step on Energy Speculation Bill
- No Word From Judge on CRP Critical Feed Use
- Harkin Welcomes U.S. Proposal

Congress is back on Capitol Hill today (Monday) and for agriculture - all eyes are on the farm bill. Last week (week of March 24) Senator Kent Conrad and House Ag Chair Collin Peterson were reportedly working together to build an agreement on funding. That has apparently received the support needed to at least keep moving forward. But there are a number of issues to deal with - like offsets. House Ag Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte wants to see those details before he gives his okay. If he doesn’t see those - it’s reported he’s ready to find alternatives.
Conrad and Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus were disappointed with an earlier framework that only allocated 2.24-billion dollars for the permanent disaster program. The new framework provides just over four-billion for permanent disaster. But to pay for it - less funding is available for conservation, direct payments, crop insurance, specialty crops, trade and energy.
Overall - National Sorghum Producers hears the farm bill budget number is at 10.855-billion above baseline. But just as negotiators search for the offsets to reach that figure - they’re also looking to reduce total funding over baseline to 10-billion. Here the idea of cutting direct payments comes up again. One proposal is to cut the direct payments by two to three-percent to pay for the 855-million dollar increase.
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