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Peterson says no farm bill without a written committment from Leadership

The ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson sent letters to House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor Thursday expressing his disgust with what happened to the farm bill in the last Congress. The Minnesota Democrat called it a mockery stating: “I could not believe that you and your Leadership team could treat the Committee with such disrespect.”

The letter goes on to say he will not work on a new farm bill until he gets “written commitment that your Leadership team will find floor time during this Congress.” Peterson adds it should not take more than a month to schedule that floor time. He continues: “At this point, however, I see no reason why the House Agriculture Committee should undertake the fool’s errand to craft another long-term farm bill if the Republican Leadership refuses to give any assurances that our bipartisan work will be considered.”

The Congressman concludes that if the Leadership wants to just continue extending the 2008 farm bill year-after-year without reform, “I will certainly accommodate you.”

You can read Mr. Peterson’s letter to the Speaker here:

You can read the letter to Mr. Cantor here: