Press Releases

Today, Congressman Glenn 'GT' Thompson, Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee, outlined his guiding principles for disaster programs in a General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee hearing entitled, "A Hearing to Review the Efficacy of the Farm Safety Net."

"When I was selected to be the Republican Leader on the Agriculture Committee, I made it clear that my number one priority was to rebuild a robust rural economy—and that starts at the farm gate," Thompson said. "Whether it be a natural disaster that can wipe out a crop at a moment’s notice, a foreign government that interferes with a market, or a pandemic that disrupts the entire supply chain—producers are in a constant battle to remain viable. That is why a strong safety net is a critical piece of rebuilding a robust rural economy."

The three principles outlined by Mr. Thompson include:

• The program must complement rather than compete with crop insurance;
• The program should be easy to implement, and;
• The program should be reliable and respond quickly to disaster events.

Mr. Thompson ended with a call for bipartisanship. "If Chairman Scott is willing to work within those three principles, I want to work with him to craft the best policy possible. No one member or single party has a monopoly on good ideas and working together to achieve a common goal will undoubtedly render a better outcome," he said.

To watch Mr. Thompson's remarks from this afternoon's hearing, click here.