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by Seth Teter

Farmers can share their views on current and future farm policy with federal lawmakers through a new Internet application.

The House Agriculture Committee has launched an online farm-bill feedback form on its Web site to gain producer input on farm programs.

"Farm bill policy impacts the lives of America's farmers and ranchers; therefore, if we really want to know how farm policy works in practice, it makes sense to hear directly from our producers," said committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte.

Anybody can access the form at www.agriculture.house.gov by clicking on the Farm Bill Feedback icon. Users must provide some basic information such as their name and congressional district. They can then submit comments to House committee members.

The committee has held seven farm bill hearings around the country and expects to hold roughly a dozen by next year. The Senate Agriculture Committee has also scheduled farm bill hearings with stops in the Midwest including Pennsylvania, Missouri and Iowa.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to release its farm bill theme papers. The papers summarize the comments received during 52 Farm Bill Forums, including one held in Ohio last year at the Farm Science Review.

Adam Sharp, OFBF director of national affairs, said Ohio farmers need to start thinking now about the next farm bill. He said they must decide whether lawmakers should extend the current farm bill or rewrite it.

"They should give their views through OFBF's policy development process," he said.

Rewriting the farm bill may present a challenge given the ongoing, unsuccessful World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. Sharp said it's important to have a farm bill that will be defensible against future WTO challenges.

"WTO is the big unknown," he said. (See story on page 5.)

Budget constraints and more groups vying for a piece of the farm bill may also mean less money available for farmers.

"Environmental groups and others are going to be heavily involved" in the negotiations, Sharp said.

He said the weather conditions and the price of commodities when Congress takes up the debate early next year could weigh on lawmakers, and they may be more sympathetic to farmers if it is a bad year. In addition, the November elections could result in a shift of power in Congress.

"That could be a huge impact on what the farm bill looks like," Sharp said.

To view USDA's Farm Bill theme papers, visit www.ofbf.org and click on Featured Links.