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Commodity Credit Corp. gets attention in ag budget

The chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture said the proposed ag budget would reduce spending by removing Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s discretionary use of the Commodity Credit Corporation.

The CCC was created to stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices. It can also help maintain balanced and adequate supplies of ag commodities and helps in an orderly distribution. The CCC was used to provide funding to farmers in the trade war with China during the Trump Administration.

During the markup of the Fiscal Year 2024 ag budget, Andy Harris said lawmakers don’t like when the ag secretary completely bypasses Congress to implement programs.

“Last week, even the GAO concluded USDA’s use of the CCC failed to comply with the Congressional Review Act and in this bill, we put an end to its use.”

But Harris says the restriction would not affect “farm bill funding, conservation programs, crop insurance or the secretary’s ability to access the CCC in an animal or plant health emergency. All of those items would continue under this bill.”

The bill’s markup happened Wednesday.

Agri-Pulse said it’s expected to get opposition when it comes to the Senate, because of how the bill is funded.