Bill Huffman
Director - Governmental Affairs

May 15, 2008

The U.S. Senate today approved the Conference Report for the 2008 Food, Conservation & Energy Act (The Farm Bill) on a vote of 81-15.  This is a veto proof margin that will assure that the Farm Bill will become law even though George W. Bush opposes it and said he will veto the bill.  Two more Senators voted for the Conference Report today than voted for the Senate Farm Bill earlier this year when it was passed.

It is interesting to note that former USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, who won the Republican primary for a Senate seat in Nebraska on Tuesday, now says “if I were serving in the Senate, I would vote for the bill and vote to override the veto.”   Oh how politicians react when it is in their best interests politically!  Johanns, as you may recall, was the principal author of the Bush Administration’s Farm Bill platform, when he served as USDA Secretary.

With both houses of Congress now approving the bill, it now has to be enrolled and then sent to the White House. President Bush is expected to veto the bill early next week and we understand the veto override effort will be held late next week with the bill expected to become law by Memorial Day.