Farm Bill Disappointments - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

After months of Congressional members writing and rewriting the hopes of passing a farm bill in 2012 are crushed.

Ag Reporter Sarah Gustin visits with agricultural organization leaders about their disappointments in the farm bill expiring and hopes for 2013.

<<(Dan Wogsland / ND Grain Growers) "I think this country, deserves and needs farm policy in place that takes care of this country."

It's not just a farm bill, but a food bill.

Food and Nutrition programs make up nearly 80% of the nearly 300 billion dollar 2008 Farm Bill.

The 5 year legislation piece that expired at the end of September.

(Dan Wogsland / ND Grain Growers) "What we saw in the Senate bill, way back in June, what we saw was probably the best deal that ag producers could possibly expect, after this base line numbers are going to come out of the Congressional delegation in March, they are obviously going to be down. That gives us less money to work with in a farm bill policy."

(Kristi Schlosser-Carlson / Farmers Union) "I think the biggest disappointment was this was a bipartisan bill it addressed so many issues and it didn't get done. It could have gotten done last summer. It could have been part of a deal. It's frustrating sitting out here, watching that partisan ranking taking over."

(Doyle Johaness/ ND Farm Bureau) "For as much pressure as we put on down there in Congress, its seems to have fallen on deaf ears."

The lame duck session has ended and Congress still hasn't been able to agree on a new piece of farm legislation.

Farm Bureau President Doyle Johaness says the possibility of rising food prices is a major concern.

And it's challenging for producers to be planning for the future without knowing what programs and protection will be put into place.

(Doyle Johaness/ ND Farm Bureau) "But if we know what the rules are we can figure how to make it work in our operation, but when we don't know that makes it really difficult to try and plan as far ahead as we have to plan and project what we are going to do it makes it very difficult for us."

(Dan Wogsland / ND Grain Growers) "The further we move down this road, the worse it looks. And that's not just for producers. That's for machinery dealers, for car dealers, for Main Street North Dakota and also it's for consumers. Because as this moves down and as risks continue, it impacts everybody. And I don't think that's fair to the American public. I don't think that's fair to the state of North Dakota.">>

Lawmakers are scheduled to start drafting a new bill on Feb. 27.