WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Ross (AR-04) Wednesday commended his colleagues in the House of Representatives for joining him in a vote to override the President’s veto of the 2008 Farm Bill.

The successful override of the President’s veto passed by a vote of 316-108.  In order to override a Presidential veto, Congress must reach a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate. The Senate is expected to take up the veto override later this week.

“I am proud to join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote to override President Bush's veto of the farm bill,” said Ross. “My vote ensures that our farm families have a sound farm policy that gives them a safety-net when prices are down or weather is bad. It is unfortunate that the President chose to veto this critical bipartisan legislation that is essential to our economic, domestic and food security.”

Ross, who was instrumental in helping craft and pass the 2002 Farm Bill, fought hard in Congress to maintain the same basic structure of the 2002 legislation when Congress began crafting the 2008 Farm Bill. Specifically, he pointed to the safety-net it provides farm families within the commodity title through direct payments, counter-cyclical payments and marketing loans.

Ross strongly supported the inclusion of $1 billion in the Farm Bill that would expand renewable fuel production to encourage American energy independence. Ross also fought to include a responsible disaster assistance program in the Farm Bill. This much-needed program is intended to provide relief for farmers whose crops are stricken by severe natural disasters such as drought and floods. The bill also ensures that catfish livestock are placed under a continuous inspection program conducted by the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, catfish sold in the United States will be safe and of the quality expected by the U.S. consumer. .

In addition, Ross pointed out other key provisions in the Farm Bill that would boost funding by $7.9 billion for conservation programs which take environmentally sensitive land out of farming and encourage environmentally friendly practices on working farmland. Furthermore, the legislation includes $10.4 billion for nutrition programs that will help 38 million American families better afford healthy food. Ross also said the bill seeks to reach out to segments of agriculture that have been underserved, including specialty crop producers and beginning and minority farmers and ranchers.

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