WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted down its 2013 farm bill:
“The agriculture community and our economy need the certainty that comes with a five-year farm bill. We face a September deadline to provide that certainty, and I am hopeful the House will still be able to come back and pass a bill that can be responsibly conferenced with the farm bill passed by the Senate.”
The House farm bill failed, 195-234, on Thursday. With a bipartisan 66-27 vote on June 10, the Senate approved a farm bill that reduces spending by $24 billion, and eliminates more than 100 programs, while reforming and updating others. Current federal agriculture programs are operating on a short-term extension that expires Sept. 30.
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