Farm policy writer says GOP leader is delaying Farm Bill for use in talks on budget and debt ceiling

Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. 

"House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has been instrumental this month in dividing the Farm Bill, stalling the naming of conferees and taking an active role in finding some sort of nutrition sweet spot for his caucus to 'eventually' come to terms on cuts to programs such as food stamps," Chris Clayton writes for DTN The Progressive Farmer. "In the process, he's completely undermined more than two years of work by one of his own chairmen, Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas." 

"Nutrition programs, and the final conference talks on the farm bill, are going to be held hostage this fall for the debt-ceiling debate," Clayton predicts. "Only in the 11th hour, when it looks like those debt-ceiling talks are moving to the brink of another government shutdown, will Cantor decide it's time to advance his pawn. Official conference talks on the farm bill won't happen until the latest debt-ceiling deal determines just what the dollar figure is going to be on nutrition spending."

"Right now, everyone knows the White House and Senate Democrats aren't going to accept the level of cuts the House GOP wants for nutrition programs," Clayton writes. "Thus, there is no point trying to advance a bill if House leaders want to go beyond the $20.5 billion in cuts to food stamps, not negotiate down from that level." (Read more)