Rice Industry Urges Passage of House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2007 — Contacts: Reece Langley, (703) 236-1473, rlangley@usarice.com

Dwight Roberts, (713) 974-7423, dwight@usriceproducers.com

The House Agriculture Committee completed its consideration of the 2007 farm bill (H.R. 2419) and reported it favorably from the Committee on July 19.

Rice producers, processors, and the entire rice industry support the passage of the bill, which maintains the current safety net structure for rice, and includes improvements sought by the rice industry.

The bill, which may be considered on the House floor next week, includes significant reforms in the area of payment limitations. Although the rice industry would have preferred there be no further reductions to payment limits, the USA Rice Federation and the US Rice Producers Association have reluctantly agreed to the changes, recognizing the political realities that Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) faces in moving a bill through committee and across the House floor.

On balance, however, the industry supports passage of the bill, and applauds Chairman Peterson, Ranking Member Goodlatte, and members of the Agriculture Committee for reaching this bipartisan compromise. We look forward to working with them and other Members of the House in moving this farm bill through the House of Representatives

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