Martha Roby: “Today is a monumental day for our nation's agriculture policy. After three years of hard work, today the House of…”

“Today is a monumental day for our nation's agriculture policy. After three years of hard work, today the House of Representatives finally approved a final Farm Bill that provides certainty for our nation's farmers and institutes money-saving reforms to agriculture and nutrition policy that we've needed for some time. Agriculture is our top industry in Alabama, employing more 580,000 Alabamians. Agriculture alone is worth around $70 billion to our state's economy. That is why this bill has been one of my top priorities since being elected to Congress in 2010. This bill is a win for Alabama farmers and foresters. It is also a win for taxpayers. The Farm Bill replaces outdated policies left over from the Pelosi-led Congress and represents a positive step toward fiscal responsibility. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the members of my Agriculture Advisory Panel who have proved so beneficial to my staff and I throughout this process. This group includes a representative from each county in Alabama's Second Congressional District and representatives from a wide variety of commodities and industries. We have held numerous meetings in the District to share ideas, listen to concerns, and discuss a way forward on agriculture policy. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate these individuals for sharing their time, knowledge, and ideas. One of the provisions included in this Farm Bill is a direct result of a brainstorming session of our Agriculture Advisory Panel.…”