Monday the Oklahoma Farm Bureau called on the Oklahoma federal delegation to reengage Congress in the farm bill legislation. With only a few weeks left on the legislative calendar before Congress adjourns for the August recess, Oklahoma farmers are pushing lawmakers to restart the farm bill debate. The U.S. House defeated the farm bill in June after a controversial debate over the nutrition program section of the bill. Without a new bill, the law requires farm programs to revert to the 1949 law, which is more expensive and less applicable to today’s modern agriculture.
“It is imperative that Congress rejoins the effort to pass a bill that is good for both farmers and consumers,” said Mike Spradling, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. “This bill should give farmers the protection and ability to manage risks with a solid crop insurance program, and assure a stable, high quality food supply for consumers. We need a new farm bill now to help plan for the next crop, which goes in the ground beginning in September.”
Spradling voiced disappointment in the June defeat; however, he praised Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, for his efforts to pass the bill.
“The bill’s defeat was difficult to swallow, but I cannot imagine how much worse it could have been without Rep. Lucas fighting for us,” Spradling said. “Oklahoma’s agriculture industry is 100 percent behind Lucas and we will work with him and our entire Oklahoma delegation to get a new farm bill before the August recess.”
