April 15, 2010

ASA establishes soy farm bill working group

The American Soybean Association (ASA) has organised a 2012 Farm Bill Working Group, in which members of the group are charged with the development of policies key to the future of all US soy growers.

ASA President Rob Joslin, a soy producer from Sidney, Ohio, explains that in establishing the working group, he attempted to identify members who will bring experience in key farm policy, crop and revenue insurance, bioenergy, agricultural research, and trade, and perspectives from all soy production areas. Also included are past leaders who have been involved in previous farm bill debates.

Joslin said House Ag Committee Chairman Colin Peterson, D-Minnesota, plans to hold the initial farm bill hearings in Washington in April and field hearings across the country in May and June 2010. In early 2011, the committee may hold additional hearings in Washington before marking up its bill in the summer and passing it in the House in the fall of 2011.

The earliest the Senate will mark up its version of the farm bill would be before the August recess in 2012, completing conference with the House before the end of September of that year.

The farm bill creates the policy that will administer commodity programmes, conservation, trade, nutrition, rural development, agricultural research and bioenergy.