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Rep. Owens among 79 Congressmen urging vote on 2012 Farm Bill

Posted 7/28/12

North Country Rep. Bill Owens (D-Plattsburgh), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, has joined 79 of his Democratic and Republican colleagues in urging leadership of the U.S. House of …

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Rep. Owens among 79 Congressmen urging vote on 2012 Farm Bill

Posted

North Country Rep. Bill Owens (D-Plattsburgh), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, has joined 79 of his Democratic and Republican colleagues in urging leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives to bring the 2012 Farm Bill to the floor for a vote.

Owens says the legislation, which renews expiring federal farm and food programs, is critical to New York agriculture, and should be voted on before Congress leaves Washington for a month-long recess starting Aug. 4.

As a member of the committee, Owens helped spearhead the letter highlighting the importance of a House vote on the legislation, which was approved by Republicans and Democrats in a 35-11 vote in the committee on June 11.

New York Farm Bureau President Dean Norton said, “Mother Nature provides enough uncertainty for our farmers. The drought conditions they are currently experiencing and the devastating spring frosts are just two of the reasons why it is critical for the Farm Bill to pass by the Sept. 30 deadline. Farmers need to know what protections and funding are in place as we transition to a new safety net. We appreciate Rep. Bill Owens’ bipartisan efforts to get the Farm Bill through the House Agriculture Committee and onto the House floor for a vote,” Norton said.

The letter reads in part, “The House Agriculture Committee has done its work and we now ask that you make time on the floor of the House to consider this legislation, so that it can be debated, conferenced, and ultimately passed into law, before the current bill expires. We need to continue to tell the American success story of agriculture and work to ensure we have strong policies in place so that producers can continue to provide an abundant, affordable and safe food supply.”

The majority of current Farm Bill policies expire on Sept. 30. The House of Representatives is scheduled to be out of session beginning Saturday, August 4 until Monday, Sept. 10.

The Senate approved its version of the 2012 Farm Bill in June.

To date, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) have declined to put the 2012 Farm Bill on the legislative calendar.