WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2013- Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said during a media call Thursday that he is optimistic a farm bill will pass by the end of the year, particularly because of the urgency of passing livestock disaster assistance.
“Those people who have suffered such enormous economic losses in South Dakota need the help as quickly as possible,” he said, referring to the early October snow storm that killed thousands of cattle.
Thune said the two most critical areas for compromise in the farm bill include the differences between the House and Senate bills in the Commodity Title and Nutrition Title.
"I’m still hopeful that we get this done by the end of the year,” he said. “I think there’s enough pressure building to get a bill and multi-year reauthorization that makes the end of the year realistic.”
If Congress is unable to pass a compromised farm bill that the president signs by the end of the year, legislators will need to devise a short-term extension. “Because we revert back to 1949 law by the end of the year and no one wants to do that,” Thune noted.
#30
For more news, go to www.agri-pulse.com