House Agriculture Committee Comes to Minnesota

(MARSHALL, MINN) - Congressman Collin C. Peterson brought fifteen Members of Congress representing agricultural areas across the country to Marshall this weekend for a House Agriculture Committee field hearing on the farm bill.

“I am proud to share Minnesota’s success with my colleagues in Congress,” Peterson said. “Minnesota is a leader in renewable energy development and agriculture, and this hearing gives the Committee a good sense of how much we’ve accomplished.”

The field hearing was held at Southwest Minnesota State University’s Conference Center. Fourteen producers from Minnesota and South Dakota gave formal testimony and answered questions from the Committee. A list of witnesses and copies of their testimony is available on the House Agriculture Committee website. Those who were not able to testify at the hearing can submit testimony for the record up to 30 days after the hearing by contacting the Committee.

Following the field hearing, Peterson took the Congressional delegation to Granite Falls Energy, LLC ethanol plant and Farmers Union Industries biodiesel plant to showcase the opportunities and challenges facing the renewable fuels production industry in Minnesota.

“The next farm bill will have to deal with the growing importance of renewable energy production for agriculture, and touring some of Minnesota’s renewable energy production sites will help the Committee learn more about the issue,” Peterson said.

Attending the field hearing in Marshall were: Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Tim Holden (D-PA), Representatives Frank Lucas (R-OK), Bob Etheridge (D-NC), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), Steve King (R-IA), Charlie Melancon (D-LA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Leonard Boswell (D-IA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Mike Ross (D-AR).

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