08.02.13

Hoeven Named a Farm Bill Conferee

Senator to Hold Farm Bill Roundtables in North Dakota

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that he has been named to the conference committee appointed to negotiate an agreement on a 2013 farm bill. Hoeven, a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, has worked in the past two sessions to pass a long-term farm bill. The Senate has now appointed its conferees and is awaiting the House to do the same. Hoeven said the Congress needs to act to get a long-term farm bill in place this fall.

“Our farmers and ranchers do a tremendous job of providing food, fuel and fiber to meet our needs,” said Hoeven. “As a member of the conference committee, I look forward to working with the House conferees to find agreement on a long-term farm bill that meets the needs of our producers. Agriculture supports 16 million jobs and contributes billions of dollars to our economy. We need a strong, bipartisan farm bill because every American benefits from good farm policy.”

The Senate voted in June to pass its version of the farm bill, the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013. The Senate legislation focuses on enhanced crop insurance; continues the sugar program; includes a new Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program for farmers; reinstates livestock disaster assistance programs; and saves $24 billion to help reduce the deficit.

Hoeven plans to hold farm bill roundtables with agriculture groups in North Dakota this month.