Farm Bill Talks Start Up Again Next Week [Oct. 30]

Oct 25, 2013

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Negotiations on the nation’s five-year farm bill are expected to resume next week. Members of the House and Senate agriculture committees are expected to reconcile the differences between the two competing versions of the proposed legislation.

The 1,000-page legislation covers food and farm policies. Progress on reaching a new farm bill has been stalled due to partisan divides over cuts to the food stamp program. Lawmakers from the two chambers will reconvene Wednesday, Oct. 30 to begin negotiating the bill.

While the two bills propose similar reforms to the farm program portion of the bill, such as eliminating direct payments, there are a number of obstacles that need to be overcome. Perhaps the biggest difference is cuts to the food stamp program. The Republican-controlled House has proposed a $40 billion cut to the nutrition program over 10 years, while the Democrat-led Senate propose a $4.5 billion cut.

Congress has until Jan. 1 to pass a new farm bill, otherwise parts of the policy will revert back to the 1940s law.

Video: Planting Corn with Classic Allis-Chalmers Tractors | Full Field Action

Step into the field for a full day of spring fieldwork as this farm plants corn using classic Allis-Chalmers power near Arcanum, Ohio. In this video, the farm is working ground with an Allis-Chalmers 8050 pulling a Salford field cultivator and Brillion Culti-Packer to prepare the seedbed. Right behind, an Allis-Chalmers 7020 handles planting duties with a 12-row White planter, putting this year’s corn crop in the ground. You’ll see a mix of aerial drone footage and ground-level views capturing all the action, along with a voiceover that dives into the history and legacy of these two Allis-Chalmers tractors. It’s a great look at how reliable, older equipment is still getting the job done during spring planting season. If you enjoy classic farm equipment, corn planting, and real-world field action, this one is for you.