The Obama Administration announced its support of S. 3240, the Senate Agriculture Committee’s 2012 Farm Bill. In a “Statement of Administration Policy,” the administration said a new farm bill should promote rural development, preserve a farm safety net, maintain strong human nutrition programs, enhance conservation, honor World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, advance agricultural research and contribute to deficit reduction.
The statement says S. 3240 makes “meaningful progress” toward the administration’s goals. However, the administration asked for additional cuts in crop insurance and commodity programs.
In addition, the statement says, “The administration looks forward to working with Congress to achieve crop insurance and commodity program savings that are not contained in S. 3240, while at the same time strengthening the farm safety net in times of need and supporting the next generation of farmers.”