09.21.20

Hoeven Statement After House Introduces CR Without Critical CCC Funding for Farmers and Ranchers

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the text of a continuing resolution without critical funding for farmers and ranchers. The House CR does not include the regular reimbursement of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), which is routinely reimbursed in annual appropriations bills. The CCC funds vital farm bill programs, including countercyclical safety net programs such as the agriculture risk coverage (ARC) and price loss coverage (PLC) programs, risk management programs like Dairy Margin Coverage, as well as working land programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

“Congress has regularly provided reimbursement for CCC to allow USDA to carry out vitally important Farm Bill programs for our farmers and ranchers,” said Hoeven. “The CCC must be reimbursed on time to prevent interrupted or delayed payments at a time when our producers are already challenged by the coronavirus pandemic, bad weather and market challenges. While House Democrats have objected to this routine CCC reimbursement in the CR, we will continue working with our colleagues to ensure that the CCC is reimbursed and our farmers and ranchers receive the support that Congress has promised. This is vitally important for our farmers and ranchers, but also for every American who benefits every day from the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world.”

On Thursday, Hoeven led his colleagues from the Senate Agriculture Committee in a colloquy on the Senate floor to call for full reimbursement of the CCC in the CR. Hoeven was joined by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, Senator John Thune, Senator Deb Fischer, Senator Joni Ernst, Senator Cindy Hyde Smith and Senator John Boozman. Hoeven outlined the importance of CCC reimbursement and cited a letter signed by more than 40 farm groups outlining the importance of fully funding the CCCas part of a continuing resolution (CR) being negotiated by Congress. 

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