As the 1996 farm bill nears expiration, its replacement, going through Congress today, would increase spending by $73.5 billion for a 10 year total of $174 billion.

The farm bill has passed both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and will be voted on today to be up for debate on the floor. It should be on the Senate floor by Wednesday, said Seth Boffeli, spokesman for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, Democrat.

The most action on the bill before the end of the year would be for the Senate to pass the bill, and it would go to conference committee by the time Congress adjourns, said Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, Republican.

“Sen. Grassley wants to pass a farm bill, but the current bill has serious flaws,” said Kimberly Cass, press secretary for Grassley. “However, with a few major changes he hopes to find bipartisan ground that everyone can support.”

Cass said Grassley thinks it is important for the United States to keep its international obligations. This is to keep other countries from targeting U.S. agricultural products for retaliation, she said.

“The new farm bill continues the pattern of the 1996 farm bill,” said Neil Harl, distinguished professor of agricultural economics.

The Commodities portion of the proposed farm bill comprises three different parts.

The first section is an increase in the commodity loan rate, which would allow medium and small farms to receive a larger portion of the allocations. There will also be a continuation of the direct payment to producers. The remaining portion of the Commodities section is the counter-cyclical income protection system, according to the bill.

“The counter-cycle is the safety net for farmers,” Boffeli said. “If the prices fall below a certain level, this will kick in to make up the difference.”

The Conservation portion of the bill would increase the acres in the Conservation Reserve Program to 40 million acres, up 3.6 million acres.

The Wetlands Reserve Program would increase to a total of 1.25 million acres.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program would increase to more than six times the current amount, according to the bill.

The Conservation, Nutrition, Rural Development and Energy sections all have received support from the White House, Boffeli said.

While the White House earlier had wanted to take a slower pace, it is now supporting the bill but still has concerns about the Commodities section, he said.

The Energy portion of the Farm Bill focuses on renewable resources, according to the bill. There are two programs that provide grants and loans to establish farmer-owned renewable energy co-ops and purchase of renewable energy systems.

The farm bill has the “potential to bring stability to the farm economy” said Paul Lasley, professor of agricultural sociology. The timely passage of the farm bill will affect the rural communities, he said.

Rural Development in the new farm bill will provide grant and loan programs for businesses to create and provide more jobs.

It also will have money to expand the broadband access to rural areas.

“The sooner the better,” Lasley said. “This gives producers a few more weeks to make decisions. By the beginning of the year farmers and others decide how to spend for the year.”

Since there is still nearly a year left on the current farm bill, Grassley thinks the timing will be OK, Cass said.

“It is a comprehensive, balanced approach, which is focused on meeting the needs of rural America,” according to a statement on Harkin’s Web site.

“The Senate farm bill makes the necessary changes to Freedom to Farm, like establishing a strong safety net, while keeping what aspects of the policy that have worked, like planting flexibility.”