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Source: U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre (N.C.-7), 7/6/12
Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma and Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota released a discussion draft of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM). Thanks to the work of members of N.C.’s congressional delegation, peanut and pork priorities were included in the chairman’s mark of the House Farm Bill. U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre sent a letter in May requesting three items important to peanut growers be included in the bill. Of those three items, two were included: the House draft included a reference price counter cyclical program option that is a top priority of peanut producers and included a necessary reform to the federal crop insurance policy for peanut growers by including an effective price tied to the Rotterdam internationally traded price for peanuts.
U.S. Reps. G.K. Butterfield (N.C.-1), Renee Ellmers (N.C.-2), Walter B. Jones (N.C.-3), Larry Kissell (N.C.-8), Mike McIntyre (N.C.-7), and Heath Shuler (N.C.-11) wrote to House ag leadership in June requesting five pork priorities be included in the bill. Of the five, all five were included in the draft: the Livestock Gross Margin Insurance Program received $50 million in annual funding, the Pork Catastrophic Study was authorized, no cuts were made to EQIP, the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) was fully reauthorized, and the Regional Centers of Excellence were authorized.
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