As Farm Bill Conference Committee Begins, DelBene Calls for Bipartisan Efforts to Pass Farm Bill that helps Washington State's Economy

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene gave the following remarks during the Farm Bill Conference Committee's first meeting today. The bipartisan, bicameral committee will focus on resolving the differences between the House and Senate-passed Farm Bills over the next few months. The 2008 Farm Bill extension expired September 30.

The full text of DelBene's speech, as prepared for delivery, is below:

"Members of the conference committee, I'm pleased that the Farm Bill Conference negotiations officially begin today.

"As the only conferee from Washington state, I understand how important this is for us. Agriculture is a $46 billion industry that employs 160,000 people. My district has thousands of farms producing hundreds of millions of dollars of goods, and is the nation's number one producer of red raspberries. For my home state and across the country, it's simple; passing a Farm Bill means healthy families and a healthy economy.

"As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I'm proud that the committee worked in a bipartisan manner to draft the Farm Bill. We didn't always agree, but we put politics aside to find solutions. I'm hopeful we can continue this positive working relationship and deliver a Farm Bill that's good for our farmers, families and food supply.

"Settling for another extension is not good enough. It creates uncertainty for our farmers, stymies critical research, and negatively impacts consumers and the economy.

"A comprehensive Farm Bill should include funding for specialty crops, which represent more than one third of the value of all crop production per year. We need to increase funding for programs like the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, Specialty Crop Blocks Grants, and the National Clean Plant Network, which give us a great return on our investments.

"A final Farm Bill should include increased funding for programs that support our local organic farmers and the growing number of certified organic operations across the country.

"We also must work to protect the safety net which millions of working families, seniors and children depend on. SNAP and other nutrition programs help nearly 47 million Americans, keeping over 22,000 in my district alone from going hungry.

"Reforming a program is one thing, arbitrarily cutting a program and calling it a reform is another.

"I believe we can find common ground to bolster programs that help people get the education and job training necessary to be self-sufficient. This is why I've fought for the inclusion of funds that expand the innovative education and job training programs that have been so successful in Washington state.

"In addition, the Farm Bill should include protections for our dairy farmers. I'm hopeful we can come together and agree on reforms that will safeguard our exports, protect producers and shield consumers from price volatility.

"As the most trade dependent state in the nation, Washington depends on programs that open up new markets and support exports like the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program, excellent examples of a profitable public/private partnership.

"There are still many other issues that must be addressed. I am committed to finding a solution that works for everyone on country of origin labeling, so no company's business is threatened. We must also avoid harmful amendments that have no place in the Farm Bill, and will only make it more difficult to reach an agreement.

"For too long, our nation has been without a Farm Bill. We were sent to Congress to advocate on behalf of our constituents and to find solutions. Farmers and families across the country are depending on us. Let's not let them down. Let's work together and pass the five year Farm Bill that our country needs."

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