Press Releases

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement following the House Committee on Agriculture’s passage of the Farm Bill:

“For too long, our nation has been without a reauthorized Farm Bill because Congress has failed to act. This inaction has created uncertainty and has been detrimental to our local farmers, food producers and consumers across the country.

“It’s critically important that this is the year we get something done.

“Agriculture is a key part of Washington state’s economy. The 1st Congressional District has thousands of farms producing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of goods and employing thousands of people. Since I joined the Agriculture Committee, I have worked tirelessly to be a strong voice for Washington’s local farmers and food producers. The Farm Bill passed out of committee reflects these efforts.

“While not a perfect bill, I am pleased that the House Agriculture Committee was able to come together and pass a bipartisan Farm Bill. It was encouraging that my proposal to expand Washington state’s innovative job-training programs was included in the bill. This measure will help many low-income individuals get the education and skills they need to obtain a well-paying job.

“Today’s bill will benefit our local producers of specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables, with programs to help them expand and enter new international markets. The funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and Specialty Crop Block Grant Program increased significantly and will help our farmers who rely on partnerships with our local universities to improve crop quality and yields.

“This bill includes major reforms that will help stabilize the dairy market in ways that protect both consumers and dairy farmers. The Farm Bill goes a long way towards fundamentally reforming how our nation treats agriculture by eliminating direct subsidy payments while still supporting our local farmers.

“Disappointingly, the Farm Bill passed out of committee makes cuts to our safety net and food nutrition programs that are far too deep. At a time when many people are still struggling, we shouldn’t be cutting children off of free school lunch programs or seniors and working families from critically important nutrition assistance. I was proud to introduce a number of amendments and support Representative McGovern’s amendment to restore support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While they didn’t pass in committee, I am committed to continue fighting to restore funding to these critical programs that help working families.

“In the end, the Farm Bill passed will deliver critical job-creating investments that ensure we have a vibrant agricultural industry and that our food is healthy, abundant and affordable. I look forward to working to improve the bill as it moves to the House floor. I hope this path will end with Congress sending a Farm Bill to the President’s desk.”

Some Farm Bill Highlights include:

• Reauthorizes the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, which funds research to help farmers who grow specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables, improve crop quality and yields. It provides mandatory funding at $50 million in FY14 and FY15, $55 million in FY16 and FY17, and $65 million in FY18 and each year after.
• Eliminates outdated, ineffective dairy programs and offers dairy producers a new, voluntary, basic-level margin coverage and supply stabilization program to help protect farmers and consumers from wildly fluctuating market prices.
• Reauthorizes other research programs like the Organic Research and Extension Initiative, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.
• Reauthorizes the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at $72.5 million for FY14-FY17, and $85 million for FY18. This program has been successful in enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops through grants awarded to states to support research, product quality enhancement, food safety and other projects important to the industry.
• Continues the authorization of competitive grants to improve direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities, including the development of local food system infrastructure like farmers markets.
• Reauthorizes the Market Access Program (MAP) at $200 million per year to provide assistance to small businesses, farmer cooperatives and non-profit trade organizations, helping them expand into new, international markets.
• Eliminates direct payments, which farmers received regardless of market conditions.
• Includes several regulatory relief measures to help mitigate the burdens farmers, ranchers and rural communities face.

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