Just one day after Wisconsin's Ron Johnson proposed a failed amendment to separate the Senate's version of the farm bill into two separate measures--one for agricultural related policies and the other for food stamps and social programs--the freshman lawmaker said he could not bring himself to vote for the entire package on Thursday. The Oshkosh Republican has been critical of how massive and broad the spending package has gotten to be in recent weeks, and says he has a problem with only 20-percent of the funds going toward things like crop insurance, commodities and conservation.

"The farm bill is a great example of what's wrong in Washington," Johnson said. "Decades ago someone realized that combining food stamps and agriculture programs together in one bill is a great way to pass both with a minimum of debate and controversy. That's the only reason these unrelated provisions are linked today."

Democrat Herb Kohl voted in favor of the bill, which passed by a vote of 64-35. He said no federal spending bill is perfect for everyone, but reiterated that American agriculture needs a new farm bill regardless.

"For starters, it delivers over $23 billion dollars in savings at a time when our nation's balance sheet needs it most," Kohl said. "It also improves nutrition programs by curbing fraud and improving program integrity."

The retiring Milwaukee senator says the bill also responds to concerns articulated by dairy farmers, as the Senate's final package included the controversial Dairy Security Act.

"Long-time farm policy observers know of my enduring interest in dairy policy. The MILC program, which I co-authored with several of my colleagues in this chamber, was the first comprehensive safety net for American dairy producers," he said. "In recent years they have seen situations where, despite robust milk prices, their input prices dramatically escalated and their margins evaporated. The dairy policy embodied in this bill recognizes that challenge and establishes margin protection insurance. Participants will be given the option to choose the level of margin protection that makes the most sense for their dairy operations."

The DSA is one specific item that the Wisconsin Farm Bureau applauded in the farm bill proposal. WFBF President Bill Bruins says the voluntary capping mechanism is a good solution to avoiding drastic and devastating price swings for Wisconsin dairy farmers.

"The intent of the Dairy Security Act would be completely undermined if that were removed," said Bruins. "That's because without a market stabilization mechanism and significant caps on proposed margin insurance programs, there will be serious and unintended consequences to government coffers and the U.S. dairy industry."

He also reminds those skeptical of the program that the market stabilization component of the DSA, which is similar to how corn and soybean growers control their prices, only takes effect when milk prices dip significantly from an over-supply of milk.

Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden likes the fact that the bill protects the economic and environmental health of our family farms and rural communities.

"The bill preserves critical farm safety net programs, helps farmers manage risk, strengthens and streamlines conservation programs, continues feeding Americans in need, and continues critical investment in renewable energy and rural development," Von Ruden noted. 

And Bill Oemichen, who heads the Madison-based Cooperative Network, says the bill contains a set of compromises that lawmakers on both sides of the isle can live with.

"While some groups did not get 100 percent of what they wanted, agricultural industries would have suffered greatly if passage of a Farm Bill had been delayed," he said. 

Other key elements of the bill would end the two-decade-old program that sends $5 billion to farmland owners and investors each year regardless of whether they raise crops. It also would expand the federal crop-insurance program, which offers subsidies to farmers and insurance companies, though lawmakers agreed this week to curtail assistance for larger farms.

The House is expected to take up its version of the farm bill after their July 4 recess.

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