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Coburn’s farm-aid vote gets support

BY CHRIS CASTEEL Comments 2
Published: October 11, 2008

WASHINGTON — A key official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture says Sen. Tom Coburn’s rationale was correct for blocking a bill that its author claims would provide disaster relief to farmers.

John Johnson, deputy administrator for farm programs at USDA’s Farm Service Agency, said a proposal by Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., would require a software development effort that "would not effectively speed up payments.”

Landrieu has said her proposal would direct aid to farmers much quicker than under the new disaster program that was part of this year’s farm bill. The USDA has been working to implement the program, though Johnson said payments probably won’t be calculated for most 2008 crops for another year.

Still, he said Landrieu’s bill would require a separate but "redundant” effort. Johnson’s comments came in response to an inquiry from The Oklahoman about the situation.

Coburn, R-Muskogee, blocked Landrieu’s bill last week after another USDA official told his office the bill would require software that might take as long as the disaster program.

Landrieu’s bill was offered as senators — trying to wrap up so they could leave for the election season — were focused on the $700 billion financial rescue plan and spending legislation needed to keep the government running. Even if it had cleared the Senate, there was no guarantee the House would have taken it up or that the president would have signed it.

Landrieu, who is in a tough re-election battle in her state, has been attacking Coburn since he was the only senator who refused to let her bill pass on the Senate’s fast-track process. She has said Coburn’s action delayed disaster aid to Oklahoma farmers whose crops were damaged by recent storms.