NFU Statement: Peterson-Goodlatte Farm Bill Proposal
For Immediate Release: February 13, 2008
Contact: Liz Friedlander, 202-314-3191WASHINGTON (Feb. 13, 2008) – In response to a farm bill proposal released last night by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Tom Buis made the following statement:
“While I give credit to Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte for getting the conference process started, as no progress had been made for several weeks, the funding levels in their proposal are inadequate to address the challenges in rural America. However, this is a starting point, not an end result.
“The problem from the beginning has been the White House’s reluctance to provide adequate funding to address the challenges in rural America, including vital nutrition, conservation, renewable energy and other farm bill programs.
“NFU remains committed to securing adequate funding to complete a new farm bill that includes a permanent disaster program, a strong safety net, a comprehensive competition title, and other NFU priority issues.
“This proposal’s lack of a permanent disaster program ignores the single biggest hole in the safety net. This must be restored. NFU strongly supports the efforts of Senators Max Baucus and Kent Conrad to ensure that a permanent disaster program is in place and adequately funded.
“To be successful, the White House needs to agree to provide adequate funding. The farm bill should not be written to satisfy the negotiators at the WTO, but to address the needs of rural America.”
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