09.18.13

Hoeven Continues to Press for Passage of Long-Term Farm Bill

Calls on House of Representatives to Resolve Nutrition Issue, Name Conferees

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week continued to press for passage of a long-term farm bill to provide certainty for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. In a speech on the Senate floor, Hoeven called on members of the House of Representatives to resolve their nutrition title issue and to name conferees. Hoeven was named a Senate conferee in August and has been working to get the farm bill to conference committee and passed this fall.

“Our farmers and ranchers are business people and they need the certainty of a long term farm bill to plan and operate their businesses,” said Hoeven. “Let’s get to conference. Let’s get a farm bill done. Thanks to our farmers and ranchers we have the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world. We need a strong, bipartisan farm bill because every American benefits from good farm policy. Let’s get it done.”

The House is expected to vote this week on their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or nutrition title and to name conferees next week.

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. The Senate named its conferees in August.

Hoeven, a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, has worked in the past two sessions to pass a long-term farm bill.