New numbers from the Congressional Budget Office could set Farm Bill talks back several steps. A new report shows the House Farm Bill plan would increase costs for the legislation, and it is data that ag committee leaders say does not include the whole picture.
A CBO release shows the House version would increase spending by $33 billion over 10 years, and this is largely because of increases in commodity spending. House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson disagrees, saying the report does not take into action savings from the Commodity Credit Corporation.
“Unfortunately, the score relies on the same methodology that has led CBO to underestimate Commodity Credit Corporation outlays by more than $60 billion over the past seven fiscal years. I will continue to work with the Budget Committee and CBO to bring about a clear-eyed, defensible interpretation of restricting Section 5 discretionary authority,” said Thompson.
