Fw: Press Release: House Agriculture Committee Holds Farm Bill FieldHearing in Lubbock, Texas

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-----Original Message-----
From: AgPress <AgPress@mail.house.gov>
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 12:26:09
To: News Distribution<news@aglist.house.gov>
Subject: Press Release: House Agriculture Committee Holds Farm Bill Field
Hearing in Lubbock, Texas

News from the House Agriculture Committee

http://agriculture.house.gov

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 17, 2010

Media Contact:
April Slayton (202) 225-6872
April.Slayton@mail.house.gov

House Agriculture Committee Holds Farm Bill Field Hearing in Lubbock, Texas

LUBBOCK, TEX. - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson held a field hearing in Lubbock, Texas to review U.S.
agriculture policy as the Committee begins the process of writing the 2012 Farm Bill. This is the seventh in a series of hearings
scheduled across the country to consider new ideas regarding Federal food and farm policy. Eight Members of Congress attended today's
hearing and heard testimony from thirteen witnesses on a variety of farm policy issues.

"When they say 'everything is bigger in Texas,' you can include agriculture in that because Texans produce more than $21 million in
agriculture products every year." Chairman Peterson said. "We need to be sure that the Farm Bill is meeting the needs of Texas
farmers."

According to U.S Department of Agriculture statistics, Texas ranks first in the nation in cotton, cattle, and sheep and goat
production. More than 6.5 million acres of land in Texas are enrolled in USDA conservation programs.

Approximately 300 members of the community attended the hearing, including local agriculture producers and leaders. House
Agriculture Committee Members attending the hearing included: Chairman Peterson; Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas; Congressman
Travis Childers of Mississippi; Congressman Mike Rogers of Alabama; Congressman Randy Neugebauer of Texas who serves as the Ranking
Member of the Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry; Congressman K. Michael Conaway of Texas who
serves as the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops and
Foreign Agriculture; Congressman Adrian Smith of Nebraska; and Congressman Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania.

"Thanks to the Agriculture Committee, Texas Tech University and the producers from Texas who participated in the hearing for making
this day a success. As we heard from the producers today, Texas has a diverse and productive agriculture sector, and Texas
producers have useful feedback for us when it comes to current and future agriculture policy," Congressman Randy Neugebauer said. "I
encourage my colleagues to keep what they heard here today in mind as the Ag Committee moves forward with laying the groundwork for
responsive farm policy in the future that allows producers to continue to meet the needs of American consumers and a growing
population around the world."

"The 2012 Farm Bill is vitally important to the thousands of Texas farmers and ranchers in my home state. That is why it is
critically important for us to hear first-hand from these individuals as we begin the process of writing the bill," Congressman
Henry Cuellar said. "This ensures Texas has a voice in shaping the 2012 Farm Bill."

"Today's hearing provided excellent first-hand testimony on how our federal policies are affecting individual producers and
businesses within the agriculture industry. I am thankful to not only to our witnesses but the many Texas producers who took the
time to come and attend the Farm Bill hearing," Congressman Michael Conaway said. "We must make certain that our farmers and
ranchers have an adequate safety net and the proper resources necessary to continue providing the American public with world's most
affordable and abundant food and fiber supply. In order to do so it is imperative that Congress listen to the thoughts and concerns
of industry experts and producers as we move closer to drafting a new Farm Bill. I will continue to listen to the producers and
constituents of Texas District 11 as their elected representative and continue to voice the concerns and advocate their positions in
the people's House of Representatives."

Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the Committee website: http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html.
A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date.

To receive updated schedule and news information from the House Agriculture, please visit the House Committee on Agriculture website
to sign up for email updates: http://agriculture.house.gov/Eupdates/updates.html.

Witness List
Panel I
. Mr. Brad Bouma, dairy producer, Plainview, Texas
. Mr. Jimbo Grissom, peanut producer, Seminole, Texas
. Mr. John Lackey, citrus producer, Weslaco, Texas
. Mr. Ronnie Holt, cotton, corn, and sorghum producer and crop insurance agent, Muleshoe, Texas
. Mr. Joe Parker, Jr., cattle producer, Byers, Texas
. Mr. Dale Murden, sugarcane, citrus, vegetable, soybean and sorghum producer, Monte Alto, Texas

Panel II
. Mr. Billy Bob Brown, irrigated and dryland wheat, sorghum and beef producer, Panhandle, Texas
. Mr. Brad Heffington, cotton, corn, and sorghum producer, Littlefield, Texas
. Mr. David Cleavinger, wheat, corn, cotton, and grain sorghum producer, Wildorado, Texas
. Mr. Lowell Raun, Jr., rice producer, El Campo, Texas
. Mr. Doyle Schniers, cotton producer, San Angelo, Texas
. Mr. Dan Smith, sorghum producer, Lockney, Texas
. Mr. Dee Vaughan, corn, soybean, wheat, cotton, and sorghum producer, Dumas, Texas

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The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture web site http://agriculture.house.gov has additional information on this and other subjects.

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