WASHINGTON, D.C.--Milk may not be going up to $7 per gallon, but Mississippi farmers who produce other crops, like cotton or soybeans, are still left out to dry after the Senate and House approved only a partial extension of the Farm Bill.

The extension approved on the last day of 2012 extends subsidies for America’s dairy farmers through September. But, disaster relief and other programs were left out of the extension agreement.

Chip Morgan is executive vice-president of the Delta Council.

“Most of the crop activity at the USDA office doesn’t occur until March or April-that time frame-as to qualify what you’re gonna plant,” he said. “So, we’ve got some more time.”
One reason lawmakers could not agree on a full extension-extending the entire bill through September, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would cost you about $1 billion.

Another reason is the amount the proposed new five-year Farm Bill would cut from food stamps, which is part of the bill.

While many Democrats do not want to see any cuts to food stamps, some Republicans want to see a substantial cut. In fact, many see those proposed cuts as more than what the House or Senate would be willing to vote for.