Members of Congress are returning to Washington amidst numerous calls for them to pass the farm bill. In fact, more than 230 farm, ag and food groups delivered a letter to Republican and Democratic leaders of the House urging them to pass a new five-year farm bill in the lame duck session.
Failure to pass a new bill before December 31st “will create significant budget uncertainty for the entire agricultural sector, including the rural businesses and lenders whose livelihoods are dependent upon farmers’ and livestock producers’ economic viability,” the letter said.
Some are advocating an extension of the recently expired 2008 farm bill but the coalition letter states: “any temporary extension would be a short-sighted, inadequate solution that would leave our constituencies crippled by uncertainty. Both the Senate and the House Committee on Agriculture passed versions of a five-year farm bill with strong bipartisan support. We urge you to lead your colleagues in passing a new 2012 Farm Bill this year.”
The letter and signatures follow:
November 13, 2012
The Honorable John Boehner, Speaker The Honorable Eric Cantor, Majority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, The Capitol H-329, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader The Honorable Steny Hoyer, Minority Whip
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
The undersigned organizations, representing the farming, livestock, specialty crop, feed, rural development, nutrition, health, conservation, woodland owners, municipalities, trade, manufacturing, agricultural research, crop insurance and renewable energy communities, respectfully request passage of a new five-year farm bill to be signed into law before the end of the legislative session in December 2012.
This legislation is of paramount importance to the diverse, bipartisan constituencies our organizations represent. Failure to pass a new five-year farm bill before the year’s end will create significant budget uncertainty for the entire agricultural sector, including the rural businesses and lenders whose livelihoods are dependent upon farmers’ and livestock producers’ economic viability.
Additionally, our country is recovering from the largest drought since the 1930s, with most of the counties across the nation being declared agricultural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at some point during 2012, and 55 percent of the nation’s pasture and rangeland rated in poor to very poor condition. This year alone, several states have ranked in the driest third percentile on record. These historic conditions and their damaging economic effects cannot be ignored.
For these reasons, we stand united in our strong support for a new five-year bill; any temporary extension would be a short-sighted, inadequate solution that would leave our constituencies crippled by uncertainty. Both the Senate and the House Committee on Agriculture passed versions of a five-year farm bill with strong bipartisan support. We urge you to lead your colleagues in passing a new 2012 Farm Bill this year. We thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
25x’25 Alliance
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Advanced Biofuels USA
Ag Energy Coalition
Agricultural Retailers Association
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
Alliance of Forest Workers and Harvesters
American Agriculture Movement
American Association of Avian Pathologists 2
American Association of Bovine Practitioners
American Association of Crop Insurers
American Beekeeping Federation
American Biogas Council
American Coalition for Ethanol
American Corn Growers Institute for Public Policy
American Farmland Trust
American Feed Industry Association
American Forest Foundation
American Forests
American Honey Producers Association
American Horse Council
American Nursery & Landscape Association
American Pulse Association
American Seed Trade Association
American Sheep Industry Association
American Society of Agronomy
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
American Veterinary Medical Association
Associated Milk Producers, Inc.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Audubon Society of New Hampshire
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy
Berkshire Co-op Market
Berkshire Grown
Bio Feedstock Industry Association
Biomass Power Association
Bird’s Haven Farms
Blue Diamond Growers
California Apple Commission
California Association of Winegrape Growers
California Blueberry Commission
California Cherry Export Association
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Fresh Tomato Growers
California Grape and Tree Fruit League
California Pear Growers
California Table Grape Commission
California Water Environment Association
Center for Rural Affairs
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy
Cherry Marketing Institute, Inc.
Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage
Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
Columbia Land Trust
The Conservation Fund 3
Crop Science Society of America
Cumberland Land Trust
Doug Goehring, North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture
East Quabbin Land Trust
Ecological Farming Association
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Environmental Defense Fund
Exergy Integrated Systems
Fair Food Network
Family Dairies USA
Farm Fresh Rhode Island
Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc.
Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS)
The Fertilizer Institute
Gardening the Community
Garrison Diversion Conservancy District
Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
Great Peninsula Conservancy
Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter Buy Fresh Buy Local
Greenhorns
Growth Energy
Hartford Food System, Inc.
Hmong National Development, Inc.
Hungry Hollow Co-op
Idaho Dairymen’s Association
Illinois Stewardship Alliance
Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)
Indian Nations Conservation Alliance
Indian River Citrus League
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
International Biochar Initiative
Intervale Center
Izaak Walton League of America
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
Kentucky Resources Council, Inc.
The Land Conservancy of New Jersey
Land O’Lakes
Land Stewardship Project
Land Trust Alliance
Livestock Marketing Association
Lodi Winegrape Commission
The Lyme Timber Company
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Maine Rural Partners
Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society
Marin Agricultural Land Trust
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers
Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions 4
The Massachusetts Farm to School Project
Michigan Apple Association
Midwest Dairy Coalition
Mycobacterial Diseases of Animals (MDA) Multistate Initiative
National Aquaculture Association
National Association for the Advancement of Animal Science (NAAAS)
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Association of Counties
National Association of Development Organizations
National Association of Farmer Elected Committees
National Association of Federal Veterinarians
National Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils
National Association of State Conservation Agencies
National Association of State Foresters
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Barley Growers Association
National Berry Crops Initiative
National Biodiesel Board
National Cooperative Business Association
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Agricultural Employers
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Farm to School Network
National Farmers Organization
National Farmers Union
National Grange
National Grape & Wine Initiative
National Milk Producers Federation
National Potato Council
National Renderers Association
National Sunflower Association
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
National Watermelon Association
National Wild Turkey Federation
National Wildlife Federation
National Women in Agriculture Association
National Woodland Owners Association
National Young Farmers Coalition
Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project
Nature Abounds
The Nature Conservancy
Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society
Neighboring Food Co-op Association
New Hampshire Institute of Agriculture and Forestry
New Mexico Acequia Association
New York Wine & Grape Foundation 5
NOFA Interstate Council (NOFA-IC)
North Dakota Agricultural Aviation Association
North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts
North Dakota Corn Growers Association
North Dakota Farm Credit Council
North Dakota Pork Council
North Dakota Soybean Growers Association
Northarvest Bean Growers Association
Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance
Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG)
Northern Plains Potato Growers Association
Northern Pulse Growers Association
Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold
Northwest Horticultural Council
Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
Ohio Soybean Association
Orange County Land Trust
Oregon Association of Nurseries
Oregon Winegrowers Association
Organic Farming Research Foundation
Organic Valley
Organizacion en California de Lideres Campesinas
OwnEnergy
Peconic Land Trust
Pet Food Institute
Pheasants Forever
Pollinator Partnership
Produce Marketing Association
Quails Forever
Renewable Fuels Association
Repreve Renewables, LLC
Rhode Island Rural Development Council
Rooted in Community
RRGB Shipman Farm
Rural Advancement Fund of the National Share Croppers Fund
it concerns me very much that the farm bill may be passed with the monsanto rider attached. does anyone know how this legislation is going and who is monitoring it? and i see that even organic valley is asking for a speedy passage. what is going on, ….anyone know?? you at brownfield don’t care but i do..
it concerns me very much that the farm bill may be passed with the monsanto rider attached. does anyone know how this legislation is going and who is monitoring it? and i see that even organic valley is asking for a speedy passage. what is going on, ….anyone know?? you at brownfield don’t care but i do..