| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012 |
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MEDIA ADVISORY: America’s 2012 Farm Bill
Agriculture Committee Announces Witness List for Arkansas Field Hearing
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture released the witness list and additional information for the following field hearing.
Friday, March 30, 2012 – 9:00 a.m. CDT
Arkansas State University, Riceland Hall
201 Olympic Drive
State University, AR 72467
Full Committee on Agriculture – Public Hearing
RE: Future of U.S. Farm Policy: Formulation of the 2012 Farm Bill
Visit the House Agriculture Committee’s website at this link to learn more about America’s 2012 Farm Bill. Also, at this link you may submit comments to be considered part of the Committee’s Farm Bill field hearing record. Your comments must be submitted through the website by May 20, 2012.
There will be a live webcast of the hearing at this link. Please note that video and audio will not be available until the hearing begins.
The witness list is below. Testimony will be posted here the day of the hearing.
Panel I
Mr. L. Dow Brantley, rice, cotton, corn, and soybean producer, Brantley Farming Company, England, Arkansas
Mr. Randy Veach, cotton, rice, corn, wheat, and soybean producer, Manila Arkansas
Mr. Paul T. Combs, rice, soybean, cotton, corn, and wheat producer, Sunrise Land Company, Kennett, Missouri
Mr. Bowen Flowers, cotton, corn, soybean, wheat, and rice producer, Clarksdale, Mississippi
Mr. Tim Burch, cotton and peanut producer, Burch Farms, Newton, Georgia
Panel II
Mr. David Hundley, rice, corn, and soybean producer, Jonesboro, Arkansas
Mr. Mike Freeze, aquaculture producer, Keo Fish Farm, Keo, Arkansas
Mr. Dan Stewart, cow calf producer, Mountain View, Arkansas
Mr. John E. Owen, rice, soybean, corn, and cotton producer, John and Annie Owen Farms, Rayville, Louisiana
Mr. Walter Corcoran, Jr., cotton, corn, peanut, soybean, grain sorghum, and cow calf producer, Eufaula, Alabama
House Committee on Agriculture Democrats
For Immediate Release: March 29, 2012
Fails to Balance Budget Until 2040
WASHINGTON – U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., made the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives Passed H.Con.Res. 112, the FY2013 Republican Budget Resolution. The budget cuts $179.4 billion from Agriculture Committee programs over ten years. Additionally, the budget includes reconciliation instructions which require the Committee to provide legislation cutting agriculture spending by $33.2 billion by April 27. Peterson voted against the resolution.
“Passing a farm bill this year was already going to be difficult but the Republican Budget approved by the House today lowers the odds significantly.
“Going through the reconciliation process, before we can actually get to writing a farm bill, will only muddy the waters and is a waste of time. The only reason we’re doing this is so the Republican Majority could pass their budget which we all know is going nowhere in the Senate.
“I have a hard time seeing how the House can pass a farm bill after going through this process. I also don’t see how we could extend the current bill without making some of the cuts called for by the Majority.
“The Agriculture Committee has a strong history of bipartisanship and I am willing to see if that can be continued but today’s vote is not helpful.”