U.S. Senate Ag Committee Chair talks new farm bill

Farm and Ranch Report July 2, 2010 U.S. Senate Ag Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln started her series of hearings on the 2012 Farm Bill this week. At the first hearing Wednesday Lincoln noted the 2008 Farm Bill made some significant investments in nutrition, energy, conservation, rural development and other priorities while maintaining the integrity of the safety net. With the 2012 Farm Bill she said Congress has the opportunity to build on the good things already accomplished.

Lincoln: “More than anything else I think most American farm and ranch families simply want steady, predictable, supportive policy coming out of Washington and for us to otherwise get out of their way. Huge policy fluctuations, mixed signals coming out of Washington and the uncertainty that these things create make it very difficult for our producers to compete, invest and plan for the future. So rather than start from scratch we need to assure our farmers and ranchers that we will start where we left off, the 2008 Farm Bill. If we can do better by our producers in 2012, great, but if not current law serves as the benchmark from which we will work.”

Quoting the host of the television show Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe, Lincoln said all jobs rely on one of two industries, mining and agriculture. Without these fundamental industries there would be no jobs of any kind. There would be no economy. She said it’s from that perspective that she will approach the 2012 Farm Bill.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net.