Staff talks continue this week in an effort to reach an agreement on dairy language and payment limits on farm subsidies in the farm bill.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson have been locked in debate over how to provide margin insurance for milk producers without inviting overproduction. Boehner has stated he will block the farm bill conference report from coming to the House floor if Peterson’s supply-management language is included.
According to Politico, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas said savings from the farm bill could be used to continue payments in lieu of taxes (PILT), a federal program that assists local governments surrounded by tax-exempt federal lands.
“It is my intention to provide funding for PILT in the final conference agreement on the farm bill,” Lucas promised in an exchange on the floor prompted by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah).
Congress will take a week-long recess beginning Friday.