Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today pressed the U.S. House of Representatives to work quickly to pass a long-term reauthorization of the Farm Bill that will provide much-needed certainty for Colorado farmers and ranchers. The Senate passed its version of the bill last week with broad bipartisan support.

“Producers across Colorado have already waited too long for Congress to do its job and pass a Farm Bill. It will allow farmers and ranchers to plan for the future, put in place accountability reforms, reduce the debt, and strengthen conservation and forest health programs that support wildfire mitigation efforts.

“The Senate passed a bipartisan bill last week – as it did last year – and now it’s time for the House to follow through on its promise to do the same. With Colorado facing the continuing effects of a severe drought and a high risk for wildfires, we cannot wait any longer to get this done.”

The Farm Bill, which governs our national agriculture, nutrition, private lands conservation, and forestry policy, is supposed to be reauthorized every five years. However, the 2008 bill expired and has been operating on a short-term extension ever since.

The Senate-passed bill, which includes a number of provisions authored by Senator Bennet, reforms farm policy to better support farmers and ranchers, consolidates and streamlines programs, and would reduce the deficit by $23 billion.