Farm Bill: Top Topic at AFBF Meeting

Sunday starts the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Meeting in Honolulu. Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) members are attending and expect to tackle what may be the biggest issue there, the 2012 Farm Bill. 

"I think the discussion we had with the super committee at least laid the groundwork and structure as we begin those discussions," said IFB President Philip Nelson. "But there is still a lot of consternation about direct payments, what type of program do we want. Do we look at a shallow loss program or do we look at a program where one size fits all."

At IFB's Annual Meeting last month, Illinois farmers agreed on grassroots-policy that would keep a strong crop insurance program and have some type of a revenue assurance safety net.  More than 6000 people will be attending the AFBF Annual Meeting and there is expected to be farmers from other parts of nation who will disagree with that policy.

Nelson continues, "I think at the national level, there will still be a little pulling and tugging. Do you walk away from a program that's been fairly well received, especially in the Southern part of the country as it relates to direct payments, or do you try to design a program that will kick in when producers need it the most?"

To hear more from Nelson, play the video above.