09.30.20

Hoeven Statement After Congress Approves CR with Funding for Famers and Ranchers

As Senate Ag Appropriations Chair, Senator Worked to Secure CCC Reimbursement in Funding Legislation

WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today released the following statement after Congress approved a continuing resolution to fund the government that includes funding for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to ensure the legislation provides a full reimbursement of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to support vital farm bill programs and ensure producers don’t face delays in receiving payments. 

“Congress passed a strong, bipartisan farm bill and many of the key programs in that farm bill are funded by the CCC. That’s why we worked so hard to ensure that this legislation provides the full $30 billion reimbursement of the CCC to fund essential programs for our farmers and ranchers,” said Hoeven. “This CCC funding was not in the House’s original bill, but with the support of our farm state colleagues and farm groups, we were able to get a full CCC reimbursement included in the funding legislation passed by Congress. This funding will ensure that farm programs are provided on time for our producers, which is especially important this year given that our farmers and ranchers are not only fighting COVID, but low commodity prices, and tough weather.”

Last week, the House released draft funding legislation without the regular reimbursement of the CCC. As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to find agreement to include the CCC reimbursement, which supports vital farm bill programs, including countercyclical safety net programs such as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs as well as the Marketing Assistance Loans. Without this agreement, producer payments for programs would have been delayed.

Earlier this month, Hoeven was joined by members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, including Senators Pat Roberts, John Thune, John Boozman, Deb Fischer, Joni Ernst, and Cindy Hyde Smith, in a colloquy on the Senate floor to urge support for the CCC reimbursement. The senator cited a letter signed by more than 40 farm groups calling for funding the CCC. Last week, Hoeven again led his farm state colleagues on the floor to highlight the importance of the agreement and of providing support for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. 

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