Statement by Bob Stallman, President
American Farm Bureau Federation
Regarding Passage of the Farm Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 8, 2002 – "The Senate today rallied for America's farmers and ranchers with its passage of the farm bill. Farmers and ranchers across the country have worked hard over the last two-plus years to see this bill through. President Bush's endorsement of the farm bill was welcome news. After he signs it, we will work to ensure speedy implementation of the law.

"Prompt implementation of the farm bill is imperative. Farmers throughout the country have already begun to plant this year's crops. Producers need to know immediately the rules and regulations under which they must operate.

"The predictable long-term farm policy spelled out by this farm bill is far more desirable to the ad-hoc income disaster payments of the past few years. Adoption of this farm bill assures farmers and our lenders that we will have an adequate safety net in place and prevent the need to rely on emergency assistance in the future."

Contacts:

Don Lipton (202) 484-3624 donl@fb.org

Dave Lane (202) 484-3610 davel@fb.org

This page was last modified Thu May 09, 2002 at 02:58 am