Chairwoman Stabenow Statement on House Majority Leader Cantor's Commitment to Holding a Vote on Farm Bill in Lame Duck Session

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, issued the below statement today following reports (see below) that House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) committed to holding a vote on the 2012 Farm Bill following the Nov. 6 general election. Cantor's remarks came during a campaign stop in Boise, Idaho where Cantor was helping Rep. Paul Labrador (R-Idaho) raise money. The Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill in June with strong bipartisan support, cutting more than $23 billion by ending subsidies and reforming agriculture policy to continue strengthening a robust agriculture sector that employs 16 million Americans. The House Agriculture Committee also passed a bipartisan Farm Bill, but House Republican leaders refused to bring the bill to the floor for a vote before leaving Washington in September.

"I'm very pleased to hear that Majority Leader Cantor is now committed to bring the Farm Bill to the floor immediately after the election. America's farmers, ranchers, small businesses and 16 million Americans employed in agriculture desperately need the certainty and disaster relief the Farm Bill provides.

"We passed a bipartisan Farm Bill that reforms farm programs and cuts $23 in spending. I hope our colleagues in the House of Representatives will follow that lead with a bipartisan approach to this legislation. It is critical that we are able to finalize the Farm Bill before the beginning of next year when farm programs begin to expire, which would impact milk and food prices for families."