According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the farm bill has been held up by a money problem. “The reason we don’t have a farm bill now is in large part because they can’t figure out how to pay for reference prices.” During an appearance at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention, Vilsack said a farm bill will not be finalized until the reference price issue is resolved. In his view, there are no other places within the farm bill to tap for the $2 billion needed each year for this update. The use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds was suggested. “What does the CCC do today? Well, gosh, it pays ARC payments; it pays PLC payments; it pays CRP payments so what’s the reluctance in using that asset that’s available?” asked Vilsack. “Until they come to that realization, I think we’re gonna be waiting awhile for the farm bill.”
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