Cotton Organizations Applaud Passage of House Farm Bill
June 22, 2018 Key cotton organizations are praising the House passage of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 – better known as the farm bill – calling it a strong step toward providing much needed stability to the U.S. cotton industry.
In a statement, National Cotton Council Chairman Ron Craft said, “Our industry is tremendously grateful for House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway’s (R-TX) leadership in the development of this legislation and getting it to a successful vote in the House.”
He noted the strong support from Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) and the many Cotton Belt Representatives who helped move this farm legislation through the House and rejected damaging amendments that would compromise crop insurance and impose stricter payment limits and eligibility provisions.
“Without strong commodity and crop insurance policies underpinning U.S. agriculture,” Craft stated, “lenders would be reluctant to provide financing to an industry operating at the mercy of weather extremes and volatile global market prices.”
Craft said this farm bill can help cotton producers obtain the financing necessary for capital investments and annual crop production, as well as support a healthy rural economy that includes the infrastructure needed to gin, market, ship cotton and cottonseed, and manufacture textiles – plus the affiliated businesses that support the industry.
Stacy Smith, president of Lubbock-based Plains Cotton Growers, also applauded passage of the legislation, saying, “This Farm Bill helps preserve the future of not only our family farms, but our entire industry. Our cotton producers know what it’s like to operate without that safety net, and we need that stability and for our nation’s agriculture to be strong and viable so we can continue to produce food, fiber and fuel for the future.”
Smith also offered PCG’s appreciation to the House Agriculture Committee, Chairman Mike Conaway, House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, and PCG area representatives Jodey Arrington and Mac Thornberry.
“It is notable that every Texas Republican House member voted for this bill, and we thank them for their support,” Smith added. “We appreciate our friends in Congress who have been steadfast in their support and understanding of our needs. We look forward to continuing our work with the Senate, defeating harmful amendments, and moving this bill across the finish line.”
According to Craft, the NCC is continuing to work with the Senate to reverse proposed changes made to cotton policy during the Senate Agriculture Committee’s recent consideration of its farm bill, titled the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
That legislation may go to the Senate floor for consideration and approval as soon as the week of June 25. When passed, House and Senate negotiations on a final version of the farm bill can begin, possibly as soon as July.
This article includes information provided by the National Cotton Council and Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.
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