Asa Hutchinson: “Let me say very quickly in wrapping up, I appreciate working with the chairman, and I think he made a good faith effort.…”

“Let me say very quickly in wrapping up, I appreciate working with the chairman, and I think he made a good faith effort. As far as the conservation is concerned, I will respond by saying I offered increases: The average annual funding level from $200 million to $1.3 billion a year for the EQIP program. Livestock and crop producers each receive 50 percent of the funding. On the issue of the rice, the average gross receipts over the 5 years is $11.90 per hundredweight under the House bill and the amendment I offered. Yes, yours is higher, but they are not being penalized. It is a bill and a position that the Rice Federation and rice producers endorsed because they knew it was good for rice when the bill was introduced. However, we could argue day and night about this funding and which bill is better for the various crops. The reality is, if Members want a farm bill this year, if Members want a bill this year, this is it. You can bump it up another few billion and maybe everybody in the world will be happy, but if you cannot pass the bill, it doesn't help the farmers. The latest figures show that the Harkin substitute would cost $45.2 billion over baseline in the first 5 years, leaving only $28.3 billion for the second 5 years. Basically, if we do this, we will eliminate the funding available in the years 2007 - 2011. That is why I say these will be the years of plenty and those will be the years of famine.”