WASHINGTON, DC – Late last night, Senate leadership appointed U.S. Senator Pat Roberts to the Farm Bill conference committee, a committee tasked with ironing out the differences between the House and Senate passed versions of the Farm Bill. The post will allow Senator Roberts to work on a conference report that reflects the best interests of Kansas and the nation’s farmers and ranchers.

"As I said when the Senate passed the Farm Bill," Roberts said, "this is not the best possible bill, it was the best bill possible.

"As a conferee, I will continue to work to protect direct payments, the only commodity title program that provides direct assistance to producers when they have no crop to harvest. I am also going to work to ensure that the crop insurance program remains intact as a solid program that our producers and their lenders can count on.

"Furthermore, I will continue to work for opportunities that allow our livestock producers to effectively market their products.

 

"I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work."

Senator Roberts is a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and former Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

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