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Oklahoma Ag Groups Write Letter to Congress Supporting Farm Bill

Monday, June 24th, 2013

Fifteen Oklahoma agriculture organizations have signed a litter of support for the House version of the 2013 farm bill. The groups sent the letter to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas last week.

The letter specifically supports the safety net provisions and the voluntary conservation programs written into the bill, H.R. 1947.

The letter's signers also said the believe passage of the current fam bill would give them some measure of certainty so that they could make long-range business decisions.

The bill is expected to be voted on this week, and may come up for consideration as early as Wednesday.

 

Source: Oklahoma Farm Report

 

The full text of the letter follows:

June 14, 2013

Congressman Frank Lucas

United States Congress

 

Dear: Representative Lucas

The undersigned Oklahoma agriculture organizations are writing to affirm our support for H.R. 1947, The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013, which provides meaningful reform and contributes nearly $40 billion to deficit reduction.

Having a workable farm safety net that protects all agriculture producers and all crops in all areas of the country is of great importance to us. The voluntary conservation programs are specifically critical to Oklahoma farmers and ranchers in this time of extreme unsettled weather. Regardless of whether its maintaining the flood control dams in areas that have had too much rain or assisting in implementing soil conservation practices in areas that have had too little rain, Oklahoma producers have faced grave times and need certainty of a five?year farm bill.

FARRM is a fiscally responsive bill and will give members of our organizations the certainty they need to make future business decisions. We believe there are real reforms in this act while still protecting the United States food supply. FARRM offers reforms that are achievable only if passed and implemented, and the bill will also save taxpayer dollars though its budget savings. We encourage your support of H.R. 1947 and look forward to working with you to bring this bill to its completion.

Thank you for all the hard work you have devoted to this issue.

 

Sincerely,

Oklahoma Secretary and Commissioner of Agriculture, Jim Reese

American Farmers & Ranchers

Great Plains Canola Association

Oklahoma Agribusiness Retailers Association

Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association

Oklahoma Agricultural Cooperative Council

Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts

Oklahoma Cotton Council

Oklahoma Farm Bureau

Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association

Oklahoma Peanut Commission

Oklahoma Pork Council

Oklahoma Sorghum Association

Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association

Producers Cooperative Oil Mill

Whitetails of Oklahoma