By Clint Thompson
A key component in the ongoing farm bill discussions is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Some democrats want a substantial funding increase in the program. U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), the longest-serving Member on the House Committee on Agriculture, believes the necessary funds are not available. It would diminish crop protections for production agriculture.
Lucas spoke about the farm bill at the recent Southern Peanut Growers Conference.
“In the House, and I think everyone knows that much like reference prices and crop insurance protecting from weather, SNAP is counter-cyclical. When times are good and everybody has a job, you spend less money on it. When times are tough, the costs go up,” Lucas said. “We’ve just come through a really wild five years, and it’s driven the costs up, at least I believe temporarily. My colleagues on the minority side on the House of Representatives, the democrats, believe we shouldn’t just increase SNAP enough to make sure we adjust for inflation. They want, depending on who you talk to, a 20% to 30% increase in overall spending. The money is not there for that.
“I would hope the economy will pick up and the need not be justified.”
U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) said at the same Southern Peanut Growers Conference that SNAP, or some type of food benefit, comprises more than 80% of the farm bill spending bill. Production ag constitutes only about 10%. An increase in SNAP would impact funds available for ARC (Agriculture Risk Coverage), PLC (Price Loss Coverage) and other risk mitigation tools.
“The majority in the Senate and the minority in the House think we need to dramatically expand the feeding programs; not make them counter-cyclical, just basically make it an entitlement,” Lucas said.
The farm bill is a piece of legislation that is renewed every five years. President Trump signed the current farm bill into law on Dec. 20, 2018.