Press Releases

Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, along with Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte, members of the Committee, other members of Congress, and farmers and ranchers from around the country, demonstrated broad-based support for the 2007 Farm Bill as it heads to the House floor.

The Agriculture Committee unanimously passed the 2007 Farm Bill last Thursday, after three days of Full Committee Markups. The final product maintains a strong safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers, while increasing investment in conservation and providing groundbreaking mandatory funding for specialty crops like fruits and vegetables.

“The 2007 Farm bill is not only good for agriculture, but for rural America, and all of America, because it improves nutrition programs, increases conservation and invests in energy independence.” Chairman Peterson said. “It takes us in a new direction, making significant reforms and changes, while supporting the safety net that is so critical to maintaining independent family farmers in the United States.”

The Farm Bill authorizes government commodity supports, food assistance programs, agricultural trade, and renewable energy initiatives. Its passage out of committee marks the end of the most open Farm Bill drafting process in more than a decade, which began in late-May with subcommittee markups of the titles under their jurisdictions.

Copies of the bill considered by the Committee and the amendments that were adopted are available on the Committee’s website.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Farm Bill on Thursday, July 26, 2007.

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