Dick Durbin: Durbin Meets with Illinois Corn Growers to Discuss Agricultural Priorities

October 30, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a meeting with representatives from the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) – including ICGA President Steve Ruh of Sugar Grove – to discuss the 2007 Farm Bill, the Energy Bill and the Water Resources Development Act.

“Illinois farm land is among the most productive in the world. It is important that we work to pass a Farm Bill and ensure we have infrastructure to bring our agricultural products to market,” said Durbin.

Durbin also discussed the importance of the 2007 Farm Bill. Last week the Senate Agriculture Committee passed a version of the 2007 Farm Bill containing language that creates an optional revenue counter-cyclical program designed to improve the safety net for farmers by replacing current price-support programs with a comprehensive revenue protection program. The program, called Average Crop Revenue (ACR), is based in large part on legislation introduced by Senators Durbin and Brown in late July called the Farm Safety Net Improvement Act.

The ACR was originally included in the Chairman's Mark of the 2007 Farm Bill. The program would have provided farmers with a state-based revenue-counter-cyclical program to protect against losses in both yield and price. In lieu of direct payments, farmers opting into the program would be provided with a fixed payment of $15 per acre. The program also would have been integrated with farmers' crop insurance policies to reduce duplicative payments and provide producers with relief on the cost of crop insurance. During the Senate Agriculture Committee action, an amendment was accepted that weakened the original language by removing a provision that allowed farmers to reduce their crop insurance premiums.

“Although the average crop revenue program was weakened in committee, the inclusion of an optional revenue based counter cyclical program will help Illinois farmers,” said Durbin. “The proposal included in Chairman Harkin's bill will help us make our support programs work better for both producers and taxpayers. While I am disappointed that the Committee failed to include the whole ACR package, I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that the program provides producers with a real choice.”

At the meeting, Durbin updated the farm leaders about the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) which includes lock and dam construction along the Mississippi River. Both chambers of Congress passed the legislation with veto-proof majorities – 381-40 in the House and 81-12 in the Senate. The bill was sent to the President under the threat of a veto. If no action is taken, WRDA will become law next week.

“The Mississippi River transports $12 billion worth of products every year, affecting agriculture, commercial, and labor interests across the state of Illinois,” said Durbin. “I joined senators from both parties to pass a bill that will create over 50,000 new jobs for our region, shorter shipping times, and improved business for Midwest producers along the River. A veto by this Administration will mean yet another delay for important projects in Illinois. With broad bipartisan support from both the House and the Senate, I fully expect that Congress will override that veto."

The WRDA bill includes Congressional authorization for locks and dam modernization on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers and authorizes specific projects for navigation, ecosystem restoration, and flood and storm damage reduction. A significant provision in the bill increases lock and dam capacity and improves the ecosystem of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Congress generally authorizes Army Corps projects in WRDA bills every two years, but Congress has not enacted WRDA legislation since 2000.

Finally, Durbin and the representatives from the ICGA discussed the ongoing negotiations taking place between Senate and House members in the Conference Committee on the Energy bill. The Senate bill includes appliance efficiency standards, an increase in corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) to 35 mpg by 2020 and an increase in the renewable fuel standard (RFS) to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The Senate RFS standard would save 1.4 million barrels of oil per day and reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. It will also drive the market toward the next generation of biofuels -- cellulosic ethanol that can be produced from any feedstock.

Source: Senator Dick Durbin

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