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Congress Must Pass Continuing Resolution that Includes Aid for Farmers

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Congress Farm Bill Farm Economy Disaster Relief

Sam Kieffer

Vice President, Public Policy

Chad Smith

Associate News Service Editor, NAFB

photo credit: AFBF Photo, Betty Resnick

Sam Kieffer

Vice President, Public Policy

Chad Smith

Associate News Service Editor, NAFB

The continuing resolution that Congress is working on this week contains some good news for U.S. agriculture. Chad Smith has the details on the stopgap funding measure.

Smith: Congress faces a Friday deadline to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open and provide needed relief for agriculture. Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy for the American Farm Bureau, says the large spending package contains help for struggling farmers.
Kieffer: There's a good sum of money for states and communities that have been devastated by wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, in general, and specifically for agricultural assistance. And $20 billion out of the $100 billion for natural disasters is targeted to agriculture, and beyond that, there's ten billion dollars specifically earmarked for agriculture economic assistance.
Smith: Kieffer said Farm Bureau and many others are working to make sure the deal is passed by Friday.
Kieffer: If Congress is unable to pass this legislation, first and foremost, the government will shut down, because the current funding for the government is only through the end of this week. But the negotiated deal that we've [seen has se]cured a good bit of relief. It's certainly not what agriculture needs, but it's a good bit of relief for now.
Smith: Farm Bureau is asking farmers and ranchers to engage with their elected officials.
Kieffer: Every elected official is important. The last three days, it's been a process of engaging with the leadership in each chamber, but at this point, votes are what are needed to get this across the finish line. Every elected official needs to understand how important this critical assistance is for farmers and ranchers.
Smith: Get involved on the Action Alerts page at fb.org. Chad Smith, Washington.

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