FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2018
Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106
ajerome@nfudc.org
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to send the farm bill to conference, the process by which the House and U.S. Senate remedy differences between their respective versions of the farm bill. A conference committee of members from the House and Senate could begin meeting as early as next week.
National Farmers Union (NFU), the nation’s second largest general farm organization, called for a smooth conference committee process and swift passage of a farm bill that improves the farm safety net, farm sustainability, and diverse markets for family farmers.
NFU Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Communications Rob Larew issued the following statement in advance of the conference committee process:
“The September 30 expiration date for the current farm bill looms large, as family farmers and ranchers require the certainty of a strong farm bill now as much as any other time over the past several decades. Farmers have been coping with depressed commodity prices for several years, forcing many into significant financial strain. On top of that, trade volatility and political uncertainty are casting an ominous shadow over the foreseeable future of the farm economy.
“We’re hopeful that the conferees will respond to this immediacy by producing a bill, on time, that meets the needs of farmers, consumers, and our nation’s food system. We urge the committee to ensure the final bill improves the farm safety net to deal with the current economic hardship facing farmers, promotes the environmental sustainability of family farm operations, and improves access to diverse markets for family farmers and ranchers.”
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To download an audio file of Rob Larew’s quote, visit our website at nfu.org/audio.
About NFU
National Farmers Union advocates on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.
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