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Hagan visits Rudd Farm in Greensboro to talk about Farm Bill
Story Date: 7/9/2013
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 7/8/13
U.S. Senator Kay Hagan today visited Rudd Farm in Greensboro to talk about the importance of approving a Farm Bill. In June, Hagan helped pass a bipartisan Senate Farm Bill that contained major victories for North Carolina farmers.
“I am deeply disappointed that the House has not passed a Farm Bill,” said Hagan. “My first priority in Washington is to boost our economy and create jobs in North Carolina. Signing a Farm Bill into law would help North Carolina farms like Rudd Farm and provide the certainty our farmers need to plan for the future and to create jobs. I hope my colleagues in the House will put politics aside and move forward on this bill that supports farmers, lowers the deficit and benefits North Carolina and the entire country..”
Rudd Farm is a fourth-generation family farm located in Guilford County, NC. The farm was started as a tobacco farm in the early 1900’s. In 2000, the family decided to diversify, and planted their first strawberry crop. The farm now focuses exclusively on its strawberry and produce businesses.
“I am very grateful for Senator Hagan’s leadership on farm policy, including her efforts to prevent crop insurance fraud,” said Kenneth Rudd, owner of Rudd Farms. “The actions of very few bad actors have driven up premium costs for honest farmers. This is particularly harmful for new farmers that need crop insurance to recover after losses occur by events outside their control.”
Hagan sponsored an amendment to the Senate Farm Bill that provides the USDA with the necessary resources to combat fraud and preserve safety-net programs for honest hardworking farmers. The amendment was approved by a vote of 94-0.
She also led a bipartisan coalition to defeat an amendment that would have prevented tobacco farmers from receiving federal crop insurance. Passage of the amendment would have significantly harmed roughly 2,000 small tobacco farmers in North Carolina, increased imports of foreign tobacco, and done nothing to lower smoking rates,
Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry, generating $77 billion in economic activity and employing nearly one-fifth of the state’s workforce.
The bipartisan Farm Bill that the Senate approved represents the most significant reform of American agriculture policy in decades. The bill eliminates direct payments and creates new safety net programs for farmers. Instead of subsidies that pay out every year even in good times, the bill creates risk management tools that help farmers recover from losses caused by extreme weather.
By reforming the direct payment system, streamlining programs and cracking down on abuse, the Senate-passed Farm Bill slashes the deficit by $24 billion.
The Senate bill also includes other measures championed by Senator Hagan, including:
· Additional funding for a program that provides technical assistance to historically underserved farmers and farmers returning from service in the U.S. military.
· Reinstating the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (EAAP) that spurs growth and jobs in North Carolina's cotton textile sector.
· Requiring USDA to make information about federal crop insurance policies and a program important to North Carolina livestock producers more readable and accessible.
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