WASHINGTON (Feb. 13, 2002) – National Farmers Union (NFU) declared today’s long-awaited passage of the U.S. Senate farm bill a victory.

"Farmers Union congratulates the Senate for passing a comprehensive farm bill that tackles many issues influencing production agriculture," said NFU President Leland Swenson. "We commend the Senate for rectifying many of the multiple faults in existing commodity programs that Farmers Union has expressed for years."

According to Swenson, notable triumphs for independent commodity producers include:
-- Increased marketing loan rates and improved loan rate equity;
-- Elimination of formula loan rates that allow the secretary of agriculture to lower loan rates;
-- Assistance based on current production, yields and market prices;
-- Counter-cyclical program providing greatest assistance during low price periods;
-- Farm payment limits that direct benefits to those who need it most;
-- A nationwide safety net for dairy producers, and
-- Expansion of programs to alternative commodities such as peas, lentils and chickpeas.

"The Senate made significant strides toward addressing increased consolidation and decreased competition that is choking out family farms and ranches," Swenson said.

The Senate farm bill passed the following NFU-proposed items to address concentration:
-- Prohibits large packers from owning livestock more than 14 days prior to slaughter;
-- Mandates country-of-origin labeling of fresh produce, meats, peanuts and farm-raised fish;
-- Protects producers in agricultural contracts by prohibiting confidentiality clauses;
-- Limits the amount corporate CAFO operations receive in EQIP funding, and
-- Bans mandatory arbitration for farmers seeking legal recourse in contractual situations.

Additional Senate farm bill provisions supported by NFU include:
-- Assistance to farmers and ranchers suffering weather-related crop and livestock feed losses;
-- Retroactive reauthorization of bankruptcy protection for farmers and ranchers, and
-- Increased conservation, nutrition and rural development funding.

"I am proud of our organization for bringing these issues to the forefront, but our role is not over," Swenson said. "We will work to keep these beneficial policies on course through the conference committee and in the final passage of the farm bill."

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