Joe Donnelly: “I am here to talk about the bipartisan, commonsense farm bill that we are working on in the Senate this week.…”

“I am here to talk about the bipartisan, commonsense farm bill that we are working on in the Senate this week. Agriculture is an essential part of the fabric that defines my home State of Indiana. Hoosier farmers are growing the food that feeds our families. Biofuel producers are making the ethanol and biodiesel that drive our economy. Ag students and researchers are developing the technologies of tomorrow. Together, they represent the best of Hoosier values. Right now, Hoosiers farmers in our communities are navigating significant challenges. They need us to work together to help provide solutions. Our farmers are dealing with turmoil on the international marketplace, uncertainty in Federal policies, like the RFS, and low commodity prices that, in many cases, are below the cost of production. This farm bill can provide our ag community with some stability, and we need to ensure that we do our part to get it across the finish line. Here is how Indiana Farm Bureau president Randy Kron described the situation: Farmers are relying on the Senate to pass a farm bill that will allow them to plan for their operations with some level of certainty for the next five years and provide a safety net in case extreme weather or a natural disaster damages their crops. Indiana's farmers are facing a lot of uncertainties right now.…”