Congressional Quarterly writer Catharine Richert reported yesterday that, "Both parties in the House have agreed to move a 30-day extension of the farm policy law this week as negotiations continue on a five-year rewrite."
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley is not giving up on a federal farm payment cap. He wants the farm bill to include a $250,000 limit that he managed to get into the 2009 budget resolution. He says both the Senate and House farm bills presently contain farm payment limits that he maintains are unacceptable.
David Streitfeld reported in yesterday's New York Times that, "Everywhere, the cost of food is rising sharply. Whether the world is in for a long period of continued increases has become one of the most urgent issues in economics."
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced during an international renewable energy conference that USDA will accept $220.9 million in loan and grant applications within USDA's Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program.
