FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or the “Super Committee,” was created earlier this year by the Budget Control Act of 2011, to find a way to decrease the debt accrued by the United States – and do it in a bipartisan way by Thanksgiving.

Last week, the committee admitted defeat in its efforts to come to any kind of an agreement or create legislation, including, in essence, what would have been the structure of the 2012 farm bill. The committee was to look at all federal government programs as part of its budget cutting, and farm subsidies have long been targeted for elimination as a cost-cutting measure. For many in the ag business a reduction is sure to come with the next farm bill, regardless of whether it is passed sooner or later.

As last week’s deadline approached it became obvious there would be no agreement. National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) President Garry Niemeyer said the organization was disappointed the committee did not agree on a plan, and it was appreciative of the work of the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate ag committees to meet agriculture’s responsibility to help address the U.S. debt crisis.

“NCGA will continue to advocate for market-based risk management farm programs that recognize our nation’s difficult financial situation,” he said. “As the farm bill process moves into next year, we look forward to working with the House and Senate agriculture committees to address the critical challenges facing America’s corn farmers.”

The American Soybean Assoc. (ASA) referred to the Super Committee’s leaked recommendations connected to the farm bill in its weekly letter, stating, “Under the set of recommendations that was leaked last Friday, the committee’s reduced spending on farm bill programs by a total of $23 billion, while restructuring the farm program safety net and other programs that are important to soybean producers and others in production agriculture and rural America.”

What cuts will come now is anybody’s guess, as work on the bill will likely not get under way in earnest until early next year.

While there were plenty of remarks from many ag organizations, in the end acknowledging their failure was about the only thing some on the committee had to say. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the committee, said in a statement, “We failed to reach agreement because, despite good intentions on both sides, we simply couldn’t bridge fundamental policy differences that reflect a broader disagreement in the Congress and country as a whole over the size and scope of government.”

On the other side of the aisle, committee member Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said, “I am very disappointed that the Joint Committee was unable to develop a plan to boost job growth and reduce the long-term deficit in a predictable, balanced way. This was a huge missed opportunity for the country.”

Passing the farm bill won’t be easy if the 2008 legislation is any kind of an indicator.

After months of heated debate, Congress had to override a veto by then-President George W. Bush in order for it to become law. 

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has been discussing the bill for some time now, both what needs to stay in and what might come out. Last October, he spoke at the John Deere Des Moines Works, telling attendees more needs to be done with less. “We have to simplify existing programs; we need to reduce redundant provisions; and we need to put a premium on creating innovative solutions to address our current and future problems, also recognizing the importance of making targeted investments to keep agricultural productivity high and our rural communities vibrant,” he said.