Sen. Johnson & RMA Administrator Willis to Appear at ‘Back the Farm Bill’ Rally
The 2008 Farm Bill Extension Expires September 30, 2013
The ‘Back the Farm Bill’ coalition has been working to educate the public about the importance of a comprehensive five-year farm bill while urging members of Congress to support the legislation’s passage before the current extension of the 2008 farm bill expires Sept. 30, 2013. The coalition members will convene on Saturday, August 31, for a Back the Farm Bill Rally during the South Dakota State Fair. The rally will begin at 1 p.m.at the Freedom Stage at the fairgrounds.
South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson and the administrator of the federal Risk Management Agency Brandon Willis will be the featured speakers Saturday during the ‘Back the Farm Bill’ rally at the South Dakota State Fair. The rally will start at 1 p.m. on the Freedom Stage at the fairgrounds to show united support of the farm bill and to urge members of Congress to pass the legislation next month.
The rally will be hosted by a coalition of South Dakota agriculture, business, energy, conservation and technology groups, and the state’s largest network of food banks which started the ‘Back the Farm Bill’ campaign earlier this month to raise awareness of the need for a comprehensive, five-year federal farm bill. Several coalition members will also speak at Saturday’s rally about the importance of the farm bill to agriculture, energy, conservation, agribusiness, and nutrition for millions of Americans.
The current farm bill extension expires Sept. 30 and Congress returns to the nation’s capital Sept. 9. The ‘Back the Farm Bill’ coalition has been working to educate the public about the importance of a comprehensive five-year farm bill while urging members of Congress to support the legislation’s passage.
The coalition includes 22 groups from across the state of South Dakota that have agreed to support five main points: The farm bill must be a compromise; another extension of the 2008 farm bill is not a viable option; the farm bill must contain a nutrition title; Congress should not repeal permanent law; and the U.S. House must name conferees to work out compromises on the farm bill.
The 2008 farm bill was extended until this September after the U.S. House failed to vote on the farm bill in 2012 and an extension was agreed upon as part of the “fiscal cliff” deal at the end of 2012. The House defeated the farm bill in 2013, and later passed a bill that included only farm programs and left out the nutrition title which funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, school lunch programs, and food programs for seniors.
The coalition members include:
– American Coalition for Ethanol
– Black Hills Forest Resource Association
– Dakota Rural Action
– Ducks Unlimited
– Farm Credit Services of America
– Feeding South Dakota
– Mitchell Technical Institute
– Pheasants Forever
– Redfield Energy, LLC
– South Dakota Biotech Association
– South Dakota Center for Farm/Ranch Management
– South Dakota Corn Growers Association
– South Dakota Dairy Producers
– South Dakota Farmers Union
– South Dakota Grasslands Coalition
– South Dakota Poultry Industries Association
– South Dakota Sheep Growers Association
– South Dakota Stockgrowers Association
– South Dakota Wind Energy Association
– South Dakota Wildlife Federation
– Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
– Yankton Area Chamber of Commerce