As the current federal farm bill nears expiration on Sept. 30, House members from upstate new York are making the passage of a farm bill a priority. Rep. Tom Reed (R, NY-29) and Kathy Hochul (D, NY-26) are both advocating for passage of a new five-year bill.
“I’m not seeing signs that Congress will be successful in bringing it to the floor,” Hochul told the Express in an interview last week.
She pointed out that the dairy programs had already ended on Sept. 1 and milk producers were seeing a lower loss protection.
She called the inaction “embroiled politics at its worst.”
“I continue to work to be able to provide a five-year, long-term farm bill,” Reed said. “The looming Sept. 30 deadline should not take away focus on a plan that ensures solutions years – not months – down the road. We need to remain focused on and committed to a long-term solution.”
In a letter to House leadership, Hochul said, “America’s agricultural producers need the certainty of a real Farm Bill in order to make long term plans, invest in new capital, and expand their businesses ... Just as I have partnered with lawmakers across the country, and across the aisle, to further this critical priority for our country, I urge you to put the needs of America’s farmers before partisan differences and immediately work to pass a comprehensive Farm Bill.”
Hochul noted that With nearly 3,500 farms and an annual output of over $739 million in the 26th District alone, agriculture is an essential part of Western New York’s economy and a key component of Hochul’s REBUILD Plan.
Reed said he opposed a short-term stopgap: “Short-term extensions are not the best answer for our farmers, and I continue to push for the best possible answer: a five-year, long-term farm bill ... Short term extensions are just that – short term. What farmers need is a comprehensive piece of legislation that they have confidence will guide them through more than just a few months.”
As the current federal farm bill nears expiration on Sept. 30, House members from upstate new York are making the passage of a farm bill a priority. Rep. Tom Reed (R, NY-29) and Kathy Hochul (D, NY-26) are both advocating for passage of a new five-year bill.
“I’m not seeing signs that Congress will be successful in bringing it to the floor,” Hochul told the Express in an interview last week.
She pointed out that the dairy programs had already ended on Sept. 1 and milk producers were seeing a lower loss protection.
She called the inaction “embroiled politics at its worst.”
“I continue to work to be able to provide a five-year, long-term farm bill,” Reed said. “The looming Sept. 30 deadline should not take away focus on a plan that ensures solutions years – not months – down the road. We need to remain focused on and committed to a long-term solution.”
In a letter to House leadership, Hochul said, “America’s agricultural producers need the certainty of a real Farm Bill in order to make long term plans, invest in new capital, and expand their businesses ... Just as I have partnered with lawmakers across the country, and across the aisle, to further this critical priority for our country, I urge you to put the needs of America’s farmers before partisan differences and immediately work to pass a comprehensive Farm Bill.”
Hochul noted that With nearly 3,500 farms and an annual output of over $739 million in the 26th District alone, agriculture is an essential part of Western New York’s economy and a key component of Hochul’s REBUILD Plan.
Reed said he opposed a short-term stopgap: “Short-term extensions are not the best answer for our farmers, and I continue to push for the best possible answer: a five-year, long-term farm bill ... Short term extensions are just that – short term. What farmers need is a comprehensive piece of legislation that they have confidence will guide them through more than just a few months.”
