Heitkamp Statement on First Farm Bill Conference Committee Meeting

 U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and one of nine senators appointed to the Farm Bill conference committee, participated in the first meeting of the conference committee and pushed to get a strong, bipartisan bill passed before the current Farm Bill expires at the end of September.

“Farmers in North Dakota are hurting as the trade war is depressing commodity prices and throwing a wrench of uncertainty at the very time they’re taking to the fields to harvest. States like North Dakota need this Farm Bill now to support current farmers and help build the next generation of farmers,” Heitkamp said. “Now more than ever, it’s critically important Congress passes a strong Farm Bill on time to ensure critical programs are in place, like crop insurance, ag research, and nutrition assistance. The Senate passed a strong, historically bipartisan bill, and following the Senate’s framework is the best path for quickly getting a bill to the president’s desk. I was encouraged today to hear the Republican Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee express openness to compromise on some of the House bill’s partisan and harmful cuts to nutrition assistance that threaten the bipartisan coalition needed to get a bill across the finish line. During this conference, I’ll continue to fight for the priorities for North Dakota I was able to include in the Senate bill – strong crop insurance, reforms to the ARC-County program, support for young and beginning farmers, resources for Indian Country, and programs to tackle farm stress and suicide.”