Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., told The Hagstrom Report on Tuesday that when he and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., meet today they will talk about the farm bill and budget reconciliation.

In an interview after a hearing Tuesday on whole milk in school meals, Boozman said the two chairmen will discuss the possibility of including an increase in the reference prices that trigger crop subsidies in the reconciliation bill. Thompson said last week that Senate leaders have assured him that an increase in reference prices would pass muster with the Byrd rule that requires all provisions in reconciliation bills affect spending. Boozman said he has not spoken with the parliamentarian but also believes such a provision would pass Byrd rule muster. 

Boozman and Thompson will also discuss the differences in instructions from their respective budget committees on how much to cut from programs under their committees’ jurisdiction. The House Budget Committee has instructed the House Agriculture Committee to cut $230 billion, while the Senate Budget Committee has instructed the Senate Agriculture Committee to cut $1 billion. Boozman said Tuesday that the low figure gives his committee “a lot of flexibility” in making the cuts. While there has been speculation that the reconciliation process will result in massive cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Boozman said there could also be cuts to other programs.