WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a 55-42 vote on Friday, the Senate decided against a measure that would have allowed further debate on federal food and farm legislation.

Called a cloture vote, which requires the support of 60 senators, the Senate sent a message to growers that a new farm policy will not likely be adopted soon. This vote frustrated many farm groups. National Farmers Union President Tom Buis said a policy needs to be in place soon so that growers can make informed decisions for the upcoming planting season.

“It is vitally important that the Senate pass a farm bill, a House-Senate conference report is approved and the President signs the bill into law as soon as possible,” Buis said. “The Senate delay is unfortunate and the clock is ticking. It is time to act now.

“The bill unanimously approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee is a good, fiscally responsible bill that includes record investments in conservation, nutrition, renewable energy development and specialty crop programs. By not approving this bill, these investments will disappear, the farm bill budget will be further reduced and consumers will lose country of origin labeling. “With the holiday season upon us, legislative work days are few. I urge the members of the Senate to work together and support family farmers, ranchers, consumers and their communities by passing a farm bill as soon as possible.”

The National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) remains hopeful that a new policy will be in place by the end of this year. The NCGA is in favor of a more market-oriented safety net that better delivers assistance when it is most needed.

“Corn growers look forward to continue working with the Senate as it moves forward on a new farm bill that builds on the progress we have made in recent years,” said NCGA President Ron Litterer, a farmer from Greene, Iowa. “We are optimistic we will see meaningful action that will do what is right for rural America.”

NCGA supports a state-based revenue protection program so that producers would have access to higher levels of farm level coverage at a lower cost. In an era of increased demand for corn and other feed grains, revenue-based programs target support more efficiently than current programs.

Other groups hoping to benefit from the policy, such as the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), are also aggravated with the delay. “We are very disappointed that the Senate did not move forward today with consideration of a new farm bill,” said Julie Sibbing, NWF senior program manager for farm policy.

“The farm bill that was advanced by the Senate Agriculture Committee would make very important strides in addressing key conservation issues and programs, but we believe the full Senate needs to adopt amendments that improve both the policy and the funding provisions with respect to conservation and energy.

“Continued delay will make it difficult to complete action on the farm bill by the end of this year, leaving farmers and others up in the air about critical farm bill programs. Simply extending the 2002 farm bill is not an acceptable alternative. We urge the Senate to move forward to consider the farm bill without further delay, and with full and fair consideration of relevant amendments.”

Acting-USDA Secretary Chuck Conner lobbied for the Bush administration’s farm policy prior to the cloture vote. “I believe Congress has a responsibility to deliver a new farm bill,” he said. “The Administration unveiled our comprehensive farm bill proposal nearly 11 months ago for the very purpose of delivering a new farm bill before farmers faced difficult decisions due to uncertainty about future farm policy.

“Farmers themselves asked us to fix the current farm bill, which pays them the most in their best years and offers little or no support when they really need it due to crop loss. Failure to pass a new farm bill would continue a defective safety net.”

He said priorities such as conservation, nutrition and renewable energy would all be shelved without a new farm bill. Conner added that many changes to the current policy is necessary.

“People who are among the wealthiest 2 percent of American tax filers would continue to receive income support payments if farm policy is not changed,” Conner said. “There is still time for Congress to pass a new farm bill. The Senate must act quickly to engage in a full and open debate and to deliver a farm bill that contains honest bookkeeping without raising taxes.

“For more than two years we have talked about the promise and potential of a new farm bill. There are differing views as to the specific provisions, but it is widely recognized and documented in thousands of comments from farmers across the country that farm policy can and should be improved.”