Weld County farmers discuss farm bill merits

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $300 billion farm bill Wednesday by a large margin, meaning the bill may have enough votes in the House to override a presidential veto.

President George Bush has said he will veto the bill, which he considers too generous to rich farmers.

The conference report, an agreement negotiated between the House and the Senate by committee, passed 318-106 Wednesday afternoon. The House needs almost 290 votes to override a veto.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration, where it is expected to pass easily.

The bill, which also provides billions of dollars for nutrition, food stamps and energy research, has created controversy even among the farming community in Weld County. Both sides say there is a a genuine need for the farm bill, but disagree about this bill's usefulness.

Marc Arnusch, president of the Weld County Farm Bureau, said he thinks the last farm bill passed should get a one-year extension instead of passing this year's version. The old bill is a safety net for farmers and gives money to farmers based on market signals instead of limiting direct payments like this year's farm bill does, Arnusch said.

"We're reaping rewards from the marketplace instead of the government," he said. "I just don't believe the contemplated new farm bill can be paid for."

Though some of the farm bill will play a large role in securing America's food supply, a large portion of the farm bill has nothing to do with farm products, and instead focuses on social programs such as food stamps, said Arnusch.

Kent Peppler, president of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, said passage of the farm bill is integral to reforming agriculture in Colorado and subsidies farmers get.

"Things I've seen say it plugged some of the holes used in the past to gain subsidy payments and that's a plus," Peppler said.

The bill stops direct payment subsidies to farmers who make more than $750,000 per year.

President Bush has said he will veto any bill with such a dollar figure because he considers the $750,000 cap too generous to rich farmers, and he would like to see it lowered. The Bush administration initially proposed a cap for people making more than $200,000 in annual gross income.