(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today released a letter to farm bill conference committee leaders renewing their call for the U.S. Congress to enact a farm bill reauthorization. The letter applauded the recent appointment of farm bill conferees, including Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Steve King. This letter reiterates the message in a previous letter from Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Department of Natural Resources Director Chuck Gipp earlier this year that a farm bill is important to rural America.
In the letter the Governor and Lt. Governor state: "We applaud both chambers for moving forward significant programmatic reforms that improve risk management and focus and improve the sustainability of relevant farm programs. Given the current fiscal environment, we appreciate the hard decisions before you, but believe you will meet the challenge of forging a bipartisan compromise that respects each side's principles. Your work can help improve the efficacy and efficiency of various farm bill programs. In addition, you have an opportunity to shepherd through a significant piece of legislation which would demonstrate Congress's commitment to rural America."
The letter continues: "As leaders of a key agricultural state where the fall harvest is currently underway, we urge you to pass a bipartisan, long-term farm bill out of conference that meets the needs of our agricultural producers and American consumers."
A copy of the signed letter can be found here. The full text is as follows:
October 29, 2013
The Honorable Frank Lucas
Chair, Farm Bill Conference Committee &
Chair, U.S. House Committee on Agriculture on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
1301 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Collin Peterson The Honorable Thad Cochran
Ranking Member,
U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
1301 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Agriculture Committee Leaders and Members of the Farm Bill Conference Committee:
We write to thank you for your efforts to reconcile farm bill provisions from each chamber and to reiterate our support for swift farm bill reauthorization. We were encouraged by the conference committee appointments, including two prominent Iowans. We urge prompt, bipartisan resolution to enact needed farm program reforms, gain real cost savings, improve the sustainability of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and provide long-term certainty for farm families and agricultural producers.
We applaud both chambers for moving forward significant programmatic reforms that improve risk management and focus and improve the sustainability of relevant farm programs. Given the current fiscal environment, we appreciate the hard decisions before you, but believe you will meet the challenge of forging a bipartisan compromise that respects each side's principles. Your work can help improve the efficacy and efficiency of various farm bill programs. In addition, you have an opportunity to shepherd through a significant piece of legislation which would demonstrate Congress's commitment to rural America.
As leaders of a key agricultural state where the fall harvest is currently underway, we urge you to pass a bipartisan, long-term farm bill out of conference that meets the needs of our agricultural producers and American consumers.
Sincerely,
Terry E. Branstad
Governor of Iowa
cc: Iowa Congressional Delegation
Tom Vilsack, Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture
Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
