CONGRESSMAN SALAZAR HOSTS CONSTITUENTS AT FARM BILL FIELD HEARING

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WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Salazar is pleased to announce that the House Agriculture Committee will hold a Farm Bill Field Hearing in rural Colorado on Monday, May 8th.  A lifelong farmer and rancher himself, Salazar officially requested the field hearing in January 2006, noting the importance of understanding the nature of agriculture in the Mountain West.

“I’m pleased to announce that the House Committee on Agriculture will be holding a Farm Bill Field Hearing in rural Colorado,” said Salazar. “In order to create a Farm Bill that helps keep farmers and ranchers on the land, while guaranteeing a safe and affordable food supply, we need to hear directly from producers. It’s important for the Committee to hear from rural Coloradoans and consider the nature of agriculture in the Mountain West – unlike the South, producers here deal with irrigated farm land, public land issues with livestock, and program crops like alfalfa and oilseeds.”

Members of the Agriculture Committee are holding field hearings throughout the country to gain feedback from local farmers on their experiences with the 2002 Farm Bill. As part of the rural Colorado hearing on Monday, two of Salazar’s constituents will be testifyin:

• Ms. Vickie I. Ford, Potato, Barley and Canola Producer, San Luis Valley
• Mr. Tom Compton, Cattle Producer, Hesperus

Salazar, a potato seed farmer, sits on the Livestock and Horticulture Subcommittee and the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittees.