United States Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack recently suggested use of Commodity Credit Corporation Funds as a remedy for the lack of farm bill funding to increase crop subsidy triggers or reference prices. That idea may have some support even among its critics.
Vilsack insists the $30 billion CCC fund is a potential fix to the problem of no new funding for the farm bill.
House and Senate conservatives want limits on CCC use for things like climate smart programs but seem flexible otherwise.
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has introduced the USDA Spending Accountability Act.
It would also save some $8 billion, half of which Grassley would spend on deficit reduction, but the rest for farm programs.
Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow along with ranking Ag Republican John Boozman asked Secretary Vilsack last year for trade promotion help from the CCC.
Vilsack later announced the use of $2.3 billion in CCC funds for export promotion and international food aid.
