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Montana reaction to farm bill agreement
Published Friday, May 09, 2008 at 05:51 AM
Senator Max Baucus
``This is great news for Montana's farmers and ranchers,'' said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who is also a senior member on the Senate's Agriculture Committee. ``We've created a permanent disaster assistance fund so producers don't have to go back to Congress year after year, kept (Farm Service Agency) offices open, and paved the way to finally implement country-of-origin labeling. Agriculture is the backbone of our state's economy and this bill will help keep it that way.'' ___ ``I'm anxious to give a thumbs up to this farm bill so we can send it to President Bush and I call on him to sign it,'' said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., a farmer from Big Sandy. ``We can't afford to have this administration play political games with our nation's food security and Montana's agricultural heritage.'' ___ ``Over the next couple of days, I'll be gathering feedback from Montana ag producers on whether or not this legislation meets their needs and is something they can support,'' said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. ``The process isn't over, but I'm encouraged by what I've seen so far.'' ___ ``We would especially like to thank Sen. Max Baucus who, as a committee member and as chair of the Senate Finance Committee, steadfastly worked and believed in the soundness of the Farmers Union's idea of permanent disaster assistance,'' said Alan Merrill, president of the Montana Farmers Union. ``This measure provides a needed safety net for America's farmers and ranchers and saves them from having to depend on the ad hoc disaster relief programs of the past.'' ___ ``It has been an extremely long uphill battle to get this bill passed,'' said Dave McClure president of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. ``One thing that has been very frustrating for our farmer-rancher members is that they have made 2008 planting decisions not knowing what the next farm bill will hold. However, we are pleased that this farm bill continues to have ... a strong safety net in place for American agricultural producers that includes direct payments, a strong counter-cyclical program and adequate risk management tools...'' McClure said Farm Bureau was also pleased with the country-of-origin labeling and the fact that small packing plants in Montana will be allowed to ship meat to other states.

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