Tester: ‘Farm Bill will strengthen America’s farmers and ranchers’

Senator praises Ag Chairwoman Stabenow’s ‘unwavering’ support for producers

(U.S. SENATE) – Montana farmer and Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement in support of the bipartisan Farm Bill and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.):

“This Farm Bill will strengthen America’s farmers and ranchers. Agriculture drives economies in rural America, and this bipartisan measure gives our hard-working agriculture producers the certainty they need. Chairwoman Stabenow deserves strong praise for her unwavering support for America’s farmers, livestock owners and families. Debbie is the reason the Farm Bill is finally at the finish line, and I’m proud to support her and all Americans by helping to pass it into law. With strong support for production agriculture, savings for the taxpayer and important local aid included, it is long past time to send this bill to the president’s desk.”

The Farm Bill includes numerous Tester priorities, including extending Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) through 2014, strong and permanent livestock disaster assistance programs, and savings of billions of dollars.

Tester, a third-generation dry-land farmer, also praised the preservation of strong Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) rules in the bill, helping consumers know where meat was born, raised and processed and giving them the option to buy U.S.-made meat if they choose.

Tester’s letter to Farm Bill Conference members in support of PILT and in support of strong Country-of-Origin Labeling can be found HERE and HERE respectively.