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ALBANY, GA – U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia, and Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, opened the first of a series of farm bill regional hearings Friday morning from Albany, Georgia.  Thirteen witnesses detailed their views and answered questions on farm policy related to the region’s crops, livestock, forests and the roles of conservation and energy production in agriculture.

 

Chairman Chambliss began the hearing, noting that opening world markets and federal budgets are challenges at the outset of these farm bill discussions.  “While times have changed, one thing is for certain: This committee will continue to be a strong advocate for agriculture.  To our trade negotiators, we will continue to affirm our role as authors of the farm bill, and we will continue to implore the need for trade agreements benefiting — not sacrificing — our producers.  And as we did during the budget reconciliation proceedings of last year, we will continue to argue that federal farm policy is not only good for rural America, it is good for the American taxpayer,” said Chambliss. 

 

Federal farm programs cost $12.9 billion dollars less than originally projected through fiscal year 2005.  Agriculture accounts for less than 4 percent of the federal budget, while 57 percent of total ag spending is not for commodity programs as some may believe, but for nutrition programs.   

 

"I am pleased to join Chairman Chambliss this week for the first Farm Bill field hearing in Georgia. At this hearing, we're going to sit on the wagon tongue with farmers and livestock producers to discuss the real issues and challenges facing farm country," Senator Roberts said. "We've certainly got our work cut out for us. But, I am confident that working together, we'll be able to get a solid, predictable bill passed in 2007."

 

Throughout the summer, additional hearings are planned in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Monday, July 17; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Friday, July 21; as well as Ankeny, Iowa on Monday, July 24; and in other western states in the nation to be decided.

 

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EDITORS NOTE: Detailed schedule for July’s Farm Bill field hearings:

 

Monday, July 17, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. in the Glenn Auditorium, Room 105, of Dempster Hall of the Southeast Missouri State University at One University Plaza in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

 

Friday, July 21, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. in the VIP Room of the Farm Show Complex at 2300 North Cameron Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

 

Monday, July 24, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. in the Auditorium of Building 6 of the Des Moines Area Community College, 2006 South Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, Iowa.