National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Representing the Business Interests of Agriculture

Washington, DC—The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) today praised the passage of the 2007 farm bill, known as the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007, by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

On behalf of America’s farmer cooperatives, I would like to recognize Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and ranking member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA.) for their leadership and efforts in moving this legislation forward as well as other members of the Committee, including Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.),” said NCFC President and CEO Jean-Mari Peltier. “The Committee’s approval this week was a critical step toward Senate passage so that Congress can complete action this year. This is especially important given that many provisions under the 2002 Farm Bill have already expired and farmers and their cooperatives are beginning to make plans for the 2008 crop year.”

As approved by the Committee on a bipartisan basis, the bill as urged by NCFC maintains basic farm programs, along with many other provisions including energy, conservation, trade, nutrition, and rural development, which are important to farmers and their cooperatives. It also includes provisions for specialty crops as well as a new permanent disaster program.

At the same time,” Peltier added, “there are areas that we would like to see strengthened, including the ability of the cooperative Farm Credit System to help promote development of renewable energy through the financing of biorefineries. This is needed to help ensure that farmers and their cooperatives, including new generation cooperatives, continue to have access to a competitive source of credit; promote greater rural and economic development; create and maintain needed jobs; and achieve important energy goals.

As the full Senate begins consideration, we look forward to continuing to work with the leadership and members of the Senate Agriculture Committee and other Senators on this and other provisions important to farmer cooperatives and their members,” Peltier concluded.

CFC is a national association representing America’s farmer cooperatives. There are nearly 3,000 farmer cooperatives across the U.S. whose members include the majority of this country’s 2 million farmers and ranchers. These farmer cooperatives handle, process and market agricultural commodities and related products; furnish farm supplies; and provide credit and related financial services. Earnings from these activities are returned to their members on a patronage basis. Farmer cooperatives also provide jobs for nearly 250,000 Americans, many in rural areas, and have a combined payroll in excess of $8 billion.

Additional information on NCFC can be found at http://www.ncfc.org.