Stabenow Prepares to Draft 2012 Farm Bill

Incoming Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) says that as her committee prepares to write the next farm bill, she is "fully committed to a strong safety net" for farmers.

Incoming Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) says that as her committee prepares to write the next farm bill, she is "fully committed to a strong safety net" for farmers. "There is no question that we have serious budget pressures, and so we will need to find creative solutions to help our growers manage risk. The safety net might look a little different than it does now, but we can't have family businesses going under because of a few days of bad weather," she said during a speech at the Michigan Agri-Business Association's annual Winter Conference in Lansing, Mich.

Other issues that Stabenow expects to receive great attention are: working with EPA to protect the environment while also protecting agricultural producers; and reauthorizing conservation, energy, trade, research and specialty crop programs that are scheduled to expire at the end of the current farm bill. She also said she plans a series of field hearings in Michigan over the next several months, but made no mention of events beyond her state's borders this year.

Speaking with reporters following her formal address, Stabenow acknowledged that her biggest challenge regarding the 2012 farm bill "is the overall budget and the deficit and making sure that we're doing our part in being fiscally responsible." 

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