Emerson against opening federal farm bill to changes

Daily Dunklin Democrat

KENNETT, Mo. -- U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson says there are a lot of challenges going on in Congress right now.

Emerson spoke at a luncheon with the Cotton Producers of Missouri in Kennett on Friday, as part of her annual series of meetings with agricultural producers in her constituency.

"We do have a couple of challenges to try to deal with regarding agricultural appropriations, imports, textile issues and trade with China," she said.

Emerson told her audience that Congress passed a good farm bill last year, but Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wants to open the farm bill to deal with payment limit issues.

"It would be very bad to open the farm bill, anything can go," Emerson said. "If we open the farm bill up we lose any advantage we have and people would grab off the money for other projects."

While U.S. farm subsidies amount to $19.1 billion a year, she said, European farm subsidies are nearly three times as much at $59 billion.

She said the trade representative for the United States is trying to protect U.S. interests, but should not agree to any reduction of subsidies unless the European Union goes along.

"They talk the talk, but never walk the walk," she said of the EU. "I don't trust them, that's the bottom line."

So far during the tour, Emerson has spoken with rice producers in Stoddard County and fruit and catfish producers in Malden, Campbell and Kennett. The tour will end Thursday with a legislative open house in Van Buren.