State Ag Officials Speak Up For Farm Bill

Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) fired off a letter to Congressional leaders John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi beseeching them to take action before the current Farm Bill expires in just a few weeks.

States across the country were represented, as the leaders of the various state ag departments signed on to the letter calling for swift passage of a new five-year Farm Bill to remove the uncertainties faced by farmers and ranchers. Here is the text of the letter, which was also signed by Steve Troxler, the president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Here is the text of the letter:

“The members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) urge Congress to swiftly pass a full five-year Farm Bill. NASDA members are the chief state agriculture officials from every region of the country and are keenly aware of the significant challenges facing America’s farmers and ranchers. We are particularly concerned about the serious impacts of Congress not passing a Farm Bill prior to the expiration of the current bill later this month. In the absence of Congress passing a full five-year Farm Bill, agricultural producers face tremendous uncertainties about their ability to continue to produce a safe and abundant supply of food, fiber and fuel.

“As we gathered this week for NASDA’s annual meeting, the urgent need for Congress to pass a five-year Farm Bill was crystal clear. From the farmers and ranchers who are struggling through disastrous drought, to those facing increasing challenges in the dairy industry, agricultural producers nationwide need certainty about national agricultural policy.

“Without a Farm Bill, farmers will face significant challenges securing financing for planting next year’s crop, vital safety-net programs for dairy producers will lapse, livestock producers in drought-stricken regions of the country will be left without important disaster assistance, and important export promotion programs will be frozen. The uncertainty facing our farmers, ranchers, and rural economies compels swift and decisive action by Congress to pass a five-year Farm Bill. We stand ready to work with you to ensure America’s agricultural economy remains strong.”

To see the names of all those who signed the letter, click here.