Liz Friedlander (202) 225-1564
Liz.Friedlander@mail.house.gov

James Ryder (202) 225-0020
James.Ryder@mail.house.gov

House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Chairman Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, today held a hearing to review U.S. farm safety net programs in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill. Today’s hearing was the second held by the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee reviewing the existing commodity programs and looking ahead to the next Farm Bill.

“Every farmer needs a banker, a place to sell their product, and a crop insurance agent that is knowledgeable and they trust in order to keep their operations running,” Chairman Boswell said. “Last week, much of the hearing focused on the new SRA and I appreciate the opportunity to now hear from commodity groups about how well their producers are able to manage their risk for different crops through the crop insurance program and through the other programs that compose our existing farm safety net.”

“It was good to hear from farmers from across the nation today, as we continue our series of hearings to review farm policy. As we head into the next Farm Bill, Congress will have to find ways to do more with less available funding. That is why it is important to start our conversations with producers now, so we can develop the most fiscally responsible and effective safety net possible,” Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Moran, R-Kan. said.

Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the Committee website: http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html. A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date.

Witness List:

Panel I

Mr. Philip Nelson, President, Illinois Farm Bureau, on behalf of American Farm Bureau Federation, Seneca, Illinois

Mr. Kent Peppler, President, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, on behalf of the National Farmers Union, Denver, Colorado

Mr. Anthony Bush, Chairman of the Public Policy Action Team, National Corn Growers Association, Mt. Gilead, Ohio

Mr. Dave Henderson, President, National Barley Growers Association, Cut Bank, Montana

Mr. Rob Joslin, President, American Soybean Association, Sidney, Ohio

Panel II

Mr. Gary Murphy, Chairman of the Board of Directors, U.S. Rice Producers Association, on behalf of the US Rice Producers Association and USA Rice Federation, Bernie, Missouri

Mr. Gerald Simonsen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Sorghum Producers, Ruskin, Nebraska

Mr. Eddie Smith, Chairman, National Cotton Council, Floydada, Texas

Mr. Jim Thompson, Chairman, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, Farmington, Washington

Mr. Erik Younggren, Second Vice President, National Association of Wheat Growers, Hallock, Minnesota
 

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