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Updated CBO score for House farm bill gets mixed responses

An updated score from the Congressional Budget Office says the House Ag Committee’s farm bill would increase direct spending by $33 billion in the next decade.

CBO’s estimate reflects an increase in direct spending for the commodities title and considers the savings from using the Commodity Credit Corporation. The CBO says using CCC funds would reduce spending by $3.6 billion in the next 8 years.

This CBO estimate also says the sugar program couldn’t be implemented after the current authorization has expired, but the American Sugarbeet Growers Association tells Brownfield it’s a draft legal language mistake that will be corrected.

House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson says the CBO score underestimates the Commodity Credit Corporation outlays by more than $60 billion over the past seven fiscal years. Thompson says he’ll continue to work with the budget committee and CBO to bring a clear interpretation of restrictions of Section 5 discretionary authority. 

Ranking Member David Scott says Republicans are having trouble funding their farm bill and time is running out to fix the problem. He says the failure of the Senate coming together shouldn’t keep the House from moving forward on a bipartisan bill.

Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow says the House Republican’s proposal relies on magic math and wishful thinking and to reach a bipartisan agreement, real negotiations are needed and her door is open.

The House Ag Committee passed a farm bill in a bipartisan vote at the end of May and it’s unclear when the bill will come up for a vote in the U.S. House when Congress returns to Washington D.C. in September.

Read the latest from the CBO.