May 2007
Dear <>,
As a lifelong farmer, I know firsthand the challenges of running a profitable farming operation. Currently, the only certainty in this market is the promise from our government to provide a safety net for our agriculture industry. This is a promise we must maintain to protect our rural legacy and ensure a safe and affordable food and fiber supply for this country. Because of that, I want to give you an update on what Congress is doing to reauthorize the Farm Bill.
This week, Chairman Collin Peterson announced the schedule for consideration in the Agriculture Committee of each of the titles in the Farm Bill. Next week the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research will begin with their sections of the bill. The Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry will follow and finish their section before Memorial Day. The rest of the Farm Bill will be debated in early June before it comes to the full U.S. House of Representatives in July.
From the start of the 110th Congress, I have been working with my colleagues to ensure that the 2007 Farm Bill maintains an adequate safety net for Arkansas farmers. In my meetings with the leadership of the House Agriculture Committee, I have been a strong advocate for Southern agriculture. Please know that I will continue to steer the debate toward retaining protections for our farm families when Congress debates commodities, conservation, energy, and other sections of the bill.
Before the full U.S. House of Representatives considers the 2007 Farm Bill, I will be scheduling a number of Farm Bill meetings in Arkansas to provide you with further details and to hear your concerns and comments. These will occur on July 2nd and 3rd in Stuttgart, West Memphis, and Paragould. I will provide you with additional details as we get closer to these meetings.
If you would like to learn more about what I am working on in Washington, DC for the First Congressional District of Arkansas, please feel free to visit my website at www.marionberry.com and sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter. I also encourage each of you to contact your congressional staff with any concerns you may have regarding the livelihood of your family and your business at 800-866-2701.
Sincerely,
Marion Berry
U.S. Congressman |
