NCBA "Expected More" from House on Farm Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives in a 195-234 vote failed to pass the 2013 Farm Bill (H.R. 1947) Thursday. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Scott George, a dairy and beef producer from Cody, Wyo., issued the following statement:
"Passage of a 2013 Farm Bill remains the top priority for NCBA. That is why we are extremely disappointed in the failure of many members of the House for not recognizing the importance of a full five-year farm bill. In the midst of the struggling economy, rural America has been one of the few bright spots. This failure by the House places cattlemen and women behind the curve on having agriculture policy which not only provides certainty for producers nationwide, but also incorporates priorities important to the cattle industry.
"We were very close in this legislation to providing disaster programs for our producers, which would have extended disaster assistance for five years and would have covered losses in 2012 and 2013. These disaster programs are essential to equipping producers with the necessary tools to manage the risks associated with catastrophic weather events. After the historic drought which has plagued the countryside for the last few years, livestock producers needed these programs now more than ever.
"NCBA appreciates the efforts of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota in attempting to move the 2013 Farm Bill forward. We continue to support passage of this legislation by the House and will work to ensure that producers receive the certainty they deserve. This was not a perfect bill for any industry, but in the end cattlemen and women made sacrifices in order to support this bill. We expected members of the House to do the same."
