After shutdown ends, President Obama notes the need for a farm bill

WASHINGTON (Oct. 17, 2013) – In his address after Congress passed a continuing resolution Wednesday night, President Barack Obama mentioned “things that we know will help strengthen our economy that we could get done before this year is out. “

“We still need to pass a law to fix our broken immigration system. We still need to pass a farm bill,” he said.

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson noted that the passage of legislation ending the government shutdown should clear the way for a farm bill  this year.

“It was promising to hear President Obama mention specifically the unfinished business that is the farm bill,” he noted.

Johnson said now that conferees are named, “it is time for the committee to get down to business.”

“We have already had discussions with some of the members of the conference committee, and will continue to do so in the coming days,” he said. 

NFU recently outlined its priorities for a farm bill in this letter to conferees. It includes requests that the conferees maintain permanent law, establish fixed reference prices for commodity programs, provide $900 million in mandatory funding for renewable energy efforts, and oppose amendments to Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), among others.

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