U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., today announced four new Democratic members appointed to the Committee for the 113th Congress.

“The election is over so it’s time to get to work. I’m optimistic that, if given the chance, we have the votes to pass a five-year farm bill.

“Today is the last day of session before the August recess and once again the House will adjourn without finishing its work. No wonder no one likes Congress. Members will now have to explain to their constituents why the House did not even try to consider a new five-year farm bill.

“There is no excuse not to bring the farm bill to the floor. We’ve wasted the last two weeks on political messaging bills that are going nowhere. If the House Republican Leadership were serious about creating jobs and growing our economy they would bring up this bill.

“As I have said repeatedly, we need to finish the 2012 Farm Bill and send it to the President before the 2008 bill expires on September 30th. Today’s meeting brings us yet another step closer to achieving this goal.

“Congress needs to complete work on the 2012 Farm Bill before the current bill expires, otherwise we jeopardize one of the economic bright spots of our nation’s fragile economy. The legislation released today brings us yet another step closer to achieving this goal and I am pleased to have worked with the Chairman in this effort.

“Today is an important step to having a farm bill in place before the current bill expires this fall. I give high marks to Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts who did an excellent job securing bipartisan support and bringing the bill one step closer to completion.

Protecting our nation’s food supply, providing support to our farmers and rural communities, conserving our natural resources, developing new markets, and investing in the future through agriculture research, biotechnology and innovation are just a few of the ways USDA impacts the lives of all Americans.

Everything must be on the table if we are going to have a serious conversation about getting our budget under control. Refusing to consider large budget items like defense and choosing instead to slash nutrition programs that feed millions of hard-working families is not the way to balance our budget.

“This brings us one step closer to having a farm bill in place before the current bill expires in September. Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts have found a bipartisan way to move forward and the full Senate should now take action