Action essential on new farm bill

Even though passage of a farm bill is not likely this year, it was good to see the U.S. House of Representatives advance a plan to replace the well-intentioned, but largely unsuccessful, Freedom to Farm Law of 1996.

By a vote of 291 to 120, the House gave approval Friday to a plan which would provide $170 billion over the next 10 years for farm programs.

While the plan sailed through the House, it is expected to have rough sledding in the Senate because of opposition from the White House and funding concerns because of the new war on terrorism.

Fortunately, there is still time to address ag problems, because the Freedom to Farm Act does not expire for another year.

By then, we hope the House and Senate can come to agreement on a plan which will prevent a farm crisis which would shake the economic foundation of the nation.

It starts with grain prices, which are terribly low. If not for federal subsidies, there would be a massive exodus of farmers from the already declining rural areas of the nation.

Because they can see the problem close-up, Nebraska's congressional delegation all supported the house bill, which is being called the Farm Security Act.

Casting votes in favor were Rep. Tom Osborne, Rep. Lee Terry, and Rep. Doug Bereuter.

Osborne, who helped draft the bill as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, is pushing for action immediately. "I'm just very concerned that if we don't get it through now, the funding won't be there next year," he said.

But in the Senate, Nebraska's Chuck Hagel is in favor of a slower approach, saying the Senate needs to take time to write a better bill.

Whether now or then, action is essential on a farm plan that gives farmers the help they need to stay in business in these trying times.

We don't like subsidies, but without them farming would go into a nosedive that would pull the rest of the economy down with those who grow the nation's food.