"The bill extends a number of programs through 2012: the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE); Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); Livestock Disaster Forage Program (LFP); Tree Assistance Program (TAP); and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)."The question? Why weren't those programs authorized through 2012 in the original 2008 farm bill?
My suspicion is that it was a budgetary game--by cutting them off with 2011 the total cost of the bill was lowered. And the Congress people would know that they'd have the chance to do an "emergency" bill in 2012 if needed. What may also be true is that they don't need to pay for it.
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