Wisconsin Ag Connection - Doyle Joins List of Governors Who Urge Farm Bill Compromise

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Doyle Joins List of Governors Who Urge Farm Bill Compromise
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 12/11/2007

After several weeks of procedural impasse, the Senate is set to take up the Farm Bill this week. And that has prompted a group of governors representing 19 farm states to write their Congressional leaders and encourage them to 'compromise' on a new federal farm policy before the end of the year.

The bi-partisan letter was drafted by Iowa Governor Chet Culver and North Dakota Governor John Hoeven. Governor Jim Doyle was among those who co-signed the document, along with the executives from Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington.

"As Governors of states with prominent agriculture economies, we have vital interest in the status and progress of legislation affecting farmers--particularly the 2007 Farm Bill currently under consideration by the Congress," the letter stated. "This legislation is important to our agriculture producers, our rural businesses, our communities and our states. On behalf of our farmers and ranchers, we urge you to pass this significant farm policy as soon as possible."

Governor Culver held a joint press conference in Washington D.C. last week with Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. That meeting underscored the necessity of the Farm Bill to move forward and for Congress to pass it as soon as possible. Governor Culver quickly acted on that meeting by organizing his colleagues in this bi-partisan letter.