I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5779 

To reduce deficits and Government spending through the elimination of 

wasteful agriculture subsidies and programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 20, 2010 

Mr. HIMES (for himself, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. WELCH) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To reduce deficits and Government spending through the 

elimination of wasteful agriculture subsidies and programs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Reduce and End our Deficits Using Commonsense Elimi6 nations in the Agriculture Program Act’’. 

7 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 

8 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Termination of Federal commodity storage payments on behalf of cotton 

and peanut producers. 

Sec. 3. Termination of Forest Service Economic Action Program. 


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Sec. 4. Termination of authority to provide grants to manufacturers of worsted 

wool fabrics. 

Sec. 5. Termination of Department of Agriculture health care services program 

for the Delta region. 

Sec. 6. Termination of authority to provide energy generation, transmission, 

and distribution facilities efficiency grants and loans in rural 

communities with extremely high energy costs. 

Sec. 7. Revised adjusted gross income limitations for receipt of direct payments, 

counter-cyclical payments, marketing loan gains, loan deficiency payments, and other agricultural payments or benefits. 

Sec. 8. Imposition of new limits on payments to producers of certain agricultural commodities. 

Sec. 9. One percent reduction in payment acres for commodity programs. 

Sec. 10. Reduction in funding for market access program. 

Sec. 11. Reduction in reimbursement rate paid to private insurance companies 

under crop insurance program. 

Sec. 12. Prohibition on timber sales in the Southwestern, Pacific Southwest, 

and Alaska regions of the National Forest System, where Federal expenditures for sales have been significantly higher than 

offsetting receipts. 

1 SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF FEDERAL COMMODITY STORAGE 

2 PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF COTTON AND PEA3 NUT PRODUCERS. 

4 (a) COTTON.—Section 1204 of the Food, Conserva5 tion, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8734) is amended 

6 by striking subsection (g). 

7 (b) PEANUTS.—Section 1307(a) of the Food, Con8 servation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8757(a)) is 

9 amended by striking paragraph (6). 

10 SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF FOREST SERVICE ECONOMIC AC11 TION PROGRAM. 

12 The Secretary of Agriculture shall terminate the Eco13 nomic Action Program administered by the Forest Service, 

14 which provides technical and financial assistance to com15 munities and groups to enhance rural economies through 

16 the utilization of forest and related natural resources. 


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1 SEC. 4. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE GRANTS 

2 TO MANUFACTURERS OF WORSTED WOOL 

3 FABRICS. 

4 Section 4002(c) of the Wool Suit and Textile Trade 

5 Extension Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–429; 7 U.S.C. 

6 7101 note) is amended by striking paragraph (6). 

7 SEC. 5. TERMINATION OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

8 HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROGRAM FOR THE 

9 DELTA REGION. 

10 Section 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 

11 Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008u) is repealed. 

12 SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ENERGY 

13 GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, AND DIS14 TRIBUTION FACILITIES EFFICIENCY GRANTS 

15 AND LOANS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH 

16 EXTREMELY HIGH ENERGY COSTS. 

17 Section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 

18 (7 U.S.C. 918a) is repealed. 

19 SEC. 7. REVISED ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME LIMITATIONS 

20 FOR RECEIPT OF DIRECT PAYMENTS, 

21 COUNTER-CYCLICAL PAYMENTS, MARKETING 

22 LOAN GAINS, LOAN DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS, 

23 AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PAYMENTS OR 

24 BENEFITS. 

25 (a) NON-FARM INCOME LIMITATION FOR COM26 MODITY PROGRAMS.—Section 1001D(b)(1)(A) of the 


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1 Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a(b)(1)(A)) 

2 is amended by striking ‘‘$500,000’’ and inserting ‘‘the fol3 lowing: 

4 ‘‘(i) $500,000, during the 2009 

5 through 2010 crop, program, or fiscal 

6 years, as appropriate. 

7 ‘‘(ii) $420,000, during the 2011 crop, 

8 program, or fiscal year, as appropriate. 

9 ‘‘(iii) $340,000, during the 2012 crop, 

10 program, or fiscal year, as appropriate. 

11 ‘‘(iv) $250,000, during the 2013 and 

12 subsequent crop, program, or fiscal years, 

13 as appropriate.’’. 

14 (b) FARM INCOME LIMITATION FOR DIRECT PAY15 MENTS.—Section 1001D(b)(1)(B) of the Food Security 

16 Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a(b)(1)(B)) is amended by 

17 striking ‘‘$750,000’’ and inserting ‘‘the following: 

18 ‘‘(i) $750,000, during the 2009 

19 through 2010 crop years. 

20 ‘‘(ii) $670,000, during the 2011 crop 

21 year. 

22 ‘‘(iii) $590,000, during the 2012 crop 

23 year. 

24 ‘‘(iv) $500,000, during the 2013 and 

25 subsequent crop years.’’. 


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1 (c) NON-FARM INCOME LIMITATION FOR CONSERVA2 TION PROGRAMS.—Section 1001D(b)(2)(A) of the Food 

3 Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a(b)(2)(A)) is 

4 amended— 

5 (1) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘$1,000,000’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘the amount specified in clause (iii)’’; and 

7 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

8 clause: 

9 ‘‘(iii) DECLINING LIMITATION

10 AMOUNTS.—For purposes of clause (i), the 

11 following average adjusted gross non-farm 

12 income limitations apply: 

13 ‘‘(I) $1,000,000, during the 2009 

14 through 2010 crop, program, or fiscal 

15 years, as appropriate. 

16 ‘‘(II) $920,000, during the 2011 

17 crop, program, or fiscal year, as ap18 propriate. 

19 ‘‘(III) $840,000, during the 2012 

20 crop, program, or fiscal year, as ap21 propriate. 

22 ‘‘(IV) $750,000, during the 2013 

23 and subsequent crop, program, or fis24 cal years, as appropriate.’’. 


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1 SEC. 8. IMPOSITION OF NEW LIMITS ON PAYMENTS TO PRO2 DUCERS OF CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COM3 MODITIES. 

4 (a) COVERED COMMODITIES GENERALLY.— 

5 (1) DIRECT PAYMENTS.—Section 1001(b)(1)(A) 

6 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 

7 1308(b)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘$40,000’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘$20,000’’. 

9 (2) COUNTER-CYCLICAL PAYMENTS.—Section 

10 1001(b)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 

11 U.S.C. 1308(b)(2)) is amended by striking 

12 ‘‘$65,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$32,500’’. 

13 (3) ACRE AND COUNTER-CYCLICAL PAY14 MENTS.—Section 1001(b)(3)(A) of the Food Secu15 rity Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308(b)(3)(A)) is amend16 ed by striking ‘‘$65,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$32,500’’. 

17 (b) PEANUTS.— 

18 (1) DIRECT PAYMENTS.—Section 1001(c)(1)(A) 

19 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 

20 1308(c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘$40,000’’ 

21 and inserting ‘‘$20,000’’. 

22 (2) COUNTER-CYCLICAL PAYMENTS.—Section 

23 1001(c)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 

24 U.S.C. 1308(c)(2)) is amended by striking 

25 ‘‘$65,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$32,500’’. 


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1 (3) ACRE AND COUNTER-CYCLICAL PAY2 MENTS.—Section 1001(c)(3)(A) of the Food Secu3 rity Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308(c)(3)(A)) is amend4 ed by striking ‘‘$65,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$32,500’’. 

5 SEC. 9. ONE PERCENT REDUCTION IN PAYMENT ACRES 

6 FOR COMMODITY PROGRAMS. 

7 (a) COVERED COMMODITIES GENERALLY.—Section 

8 1001 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 

9 (7 U.S.C. 8702) is amended by striking paragraph (11) 

10 and inserting the following new paragraph: 

11 ‘‘(11) PAYMENT ACRES.—The term ‘payment 

12 acres’ means— 

13 ‘‘(A) in the case of direct payments— 

14 ‘‘(i) for each of the 2009 and 2010 

15 crop years, 83.3 percent of the base acres 

16 for the covered commodity on a farm on 

17 which direct payments are made; 

18 ‘‘(ii) for the 2011 crop year, 82.3 per19 cent of the base acres for the covered com20 modity on a farm on which direct pay21 ments are made; and 

22 ‘‘(iii) for the 2012 crop year, 84 per23 cent of the base acres for the covered com24 modity on a farm on which direct pay25 ments are made; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) in the case of counter-cyclical pay2 ments— 

3 ‘‘(i) for each of the 2009 and 2010 

4 crop years, 85 percent of the base acres for 

5 the covered commodity on a farm on which 

6 counter-cyclical payments are made; and 

7 ‘‘(ii) for each of the 2011 and 2012 

8 crop years, 84 percent of the base acres for 

9 the covered commodity on a farm on which 

10 counter-cyclical payments are made.’’. 

11 (b) PEANUTS.—Section 1301 of the Food, Conserva12 tion, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8751) is amended 

13 by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following new 

14 paragraph: 

15 ‘‘(5) PAYMENT ACRES.—The term ‘payment 

16 acres’ means— 

17 ‘‘(A) in the case of direct payments— 

18 ‘‘(i) for each of the 2009 and 2010 

19 crop years, 83.3 percent of the base acres 

20 of peanuts on a farm on which direct pay21 ments are made; 

22 ‘‘(ii) for the 2011 crop year, 82.3 per23 cent of the base acres of peanuts on a 

24 farm on which direct payments are made; 

25 and 


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1 ‘‘(iii) for the 2012 crop year, 84 per2 cent of the base acres of peanuts on a 

3 farm on which direct payments are made; 

4 and 

5 ‘‘(B) in the case of counter-cyclical pay6 ments— 

7 ‘‘(i) for each of the 2009 and 2010 

8 crop years, 85 percent of the base acres of 

9 peanuts on a farm on which counter-cycli10 cal payments are made; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) for each of the 2011 and 2012 

12 crop years, 84 percent of the base acres of 

13 peanuts on a farm on which counter-cycli14 cal payments are made.’’. 

15 SEC. 10. REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR MARKET ACCESS 

16 PROGRAM. 

17 Section 211(c)(1)(A) of the Agricultural Trade Act 

18 of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5641(c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 

19 ‘‘and $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 

20 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘$200,000,000 for each of fiscal 

21 years 2008 through 2010, and $160,000,000 for each of 

22 fiscal years 2011 and 2012’’. 


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1 SEC. 11. REDUCTION IN REIMBURSEMENT RATE PAID TO 

2 PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES UNDER 

3 CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM. 

4 Section 508(k) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 

5 U.S.C. 1508(k)) is amended— 

6 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking clauses (i) 

7 and (ii) and inserting the following new clauses: 

8 ‘‘(i) for the 1998 reinsurance year, 27 

9 percent of the premium used to define loss 

10 ratio; 

11 ‘‘(ii) for each of the 1999 through 

12 2010 reinsurance years, 24.5 percent of 

13 the premium used to define loss ratio; and 

14 ‘‘(iii) for each of the 2011 and subse15 quent reinsurance years, 20.9 percent of 

16 the premium used to define loss ratio.’’; 

17 (2) by striking subparagraph (E); and 

18 (3) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub19 paragraph (E), and in such subparagraph, by strik20 ing ‘‘subparagraphs (A) through (E)’’ and inserting 

21 ‘‘subparagraphs (A) through (D)’’. 


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1 SEC. 12. PROHIBITION ON TIMBER SALES IN THE SOUTH2 WESTERN, PACIFIC SOUTHWEST, AND ALAS3 KA REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL FOREST SYS4 TEM, WHERE FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FOR 

5 SALES HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER 

6 THAN OFFSETTING RECEIPTS. 

7 The Secretary of Agriculture may not conduct, or au8 thorize others to conduct, any timber sale under section 

9 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 

10 U.S.C. 472a) in the Southwestern, Pacific Southwest, or 

11 Alaska region of the National Forest System, where Fed12 eral expenditures to support timber sales have been sig13 nificantly higher than offsetting receipts, until the Sec14 retary certifies to Congress that timber sales in the region 

15 will generate receipts at least equal to Federal expendi16 tures to support the sales. 

Æ 


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