Just before they wrapped up for their 5-week long summer recess, the House voted to continue the disaster relief to livestock producers suffering from increased feed prices following the nationwide drought. In a 223-197 vote, the lawmakers squeezed in the measure as one of the last actions before the recess. With this vote, four previously expired disaster aid programs will be restored, giving aid mostly to livestock farmers and tree farmers, who are not protected by insurance that protects them from droughts like crop farmers. Many livestock producers have been forced to liquidate stocks early because of maintenance costs (TIME). .
Although the bill is a continuation of a previous bill and almost all agree upon its necessity, it faces a lot of opposition. The $383 million it costs to reinstate the program would be funded directly from budget cuts from two conservation programs. A total of $630 million would be shaved from the programs. Because of the budget cuts it would take to alternate programs, environmental groups have voiced their great opposition. Also, anti-tax groups who view the bill simply as another government bailout, oppose its passing (TIME).
"We need the very conservation programs in the farm bill that are being gutted for this big government bailout of cows," said Representative Jared Polis of Colorado sarcastically (Abrams). .
Scott Faber, the Environmental Working Group's vice president of government affairs, opposed the disaster bill solely because of the major cuts it would involve. Livestock producers "certainly need assistance during this historic drought. But the proposal would cut the very conservation programs that help farmers mitigate drought conditions," he said (Abrams). .
Additionally, many agriculture groups and legislators who believe that livestock producers do need government assistance are unhappy about the passing of the bill. These groups have been pushing for the House to vote on a five-year farm bill that would both make significant changes to agriculture safety nets and restore disaster relief programs, which are projected to expire at the end of September (TIME).
