(Reuters) - Proposals to avert bigger cuts in food stamps and reduce certain crop subsidies are among more than 70 amendments the U.S. Senate will consider this week to a massive farm bill.
• Authorize USDA’s Risk Management Agency to develop a whole farm revenue insurance product for diversified operations, including specialty crops and mixed grain/livestock or dairy operations;
• Strengthen direct producer-to-consumer and larger scale retail and institutional marketing channels, through the Local Marketing Promotion Program, a renewal and expansion of the current Farmers’ Market Promotion Program;
• Expand USDA’s rural Business and Industry loan funding set-aside for local and regional food enterprises and infrastructure;
• Create an annual allocation for local and regional specialty crop market development within the Specialty Crop Block Grant program;
• Renew funding for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program to assist producers entering into organic production; and
• Fund farmer food safety training through the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach and Technical Assistance program, authorized last year as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010.
• Strengthen direct producer-to-consumer and larger scale retail and institutional marketing channels, through the Local Marketing Promotion Program, a renewal and expansion of the current Farmers’ Market Promotion Program;
• Expand USDA’s rural Business and Industry loan funding set-aside for local and regional food enterprises and infrastructure;
• Create an annual allocation for local and regional specialty crop market development within the Specialty Crop Block Grant program;
• Renew funding for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program to assist producers entering into organic production; and
• Fund farmer food safety training through the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach and Technical Assistance program, authorized last year as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010.
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| — | what some of our legislators are suggesting to fix the farm bill is we continue to work toward the (way) late budget |
