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RMFU Opposes Kicking the Farm Bill to the Next Congress

News that the House will attempt to pass a three-month extension to the 2008 Farm Bill was greeted with disgust by RMFU President Kent Peppler, a fourth-generation Mead, Colo., farmer. “This is another round of obstructionism,” Peppler said. “Passing a three-month extension means passing the buck to the next Congress. And they are trying to defuse the agricultural crisis as an election issue. It ain’t gonna fly.”

The U.S. House of Representatives has refused to take up a 2012 Farm Bill proposed by the House Ag Committee two months ago, on July 12. By refusing to act, the House prevents the conference committee meeting that would adjust the House bill and the Senate Farm Bill. The Senate bill passed with a bi-partisan majority of 60 votes on June 21.

“Any House member who is not trying to get this bill passed is no friend of family farmers and ranchers,” Peppler said. “Rural American jobs depend on Farm Bill programs. Jobs in agriculture, rural development, and renewable energy. The rural poor depend on the food programs in the Farm Bill to feed children and seniors. Farmers and ranchers depend of Farm Bill programs to plan their crops and expenses and risks for the coming year. If you eat, you need a Farm Bill to put cheap, healthy food on your table. Stalling this bill in the House is a slap in the face to every hardworking American in this country. If your congressman isn’t doing everything they can to get the House off its rump, then he is part of the problem, and you can fix that part in November.”

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