Media Center

Today Congressman David Scott (GA-13) and members of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management convened a field hearing in Valdosta, Georgia to review federal commodity programs. This is the Subcommittee’s first in a series of hearings to review various aspects of the 2002 Farm Bill which is set to expire in September 2007. Ten Members attended today’s hearing and heard from one panel of witnesses about a variety of farm policy issues including commodity programs, export markets, market access, and crop insurance.

“Today’s farmers must deal with a growing number of challenges, including rising energy costs, more environmental regulation, and natural disasters that have wreaked havoc on crops, livestock, and property,” said Congressman Scott. “We need to hear firsthand what’s working and what isn’t working in the current farm bill and what can be improved upon.”

Agriculture is Georgia’s largest industry, contributing over $5.1 billion annually in cash receipts to the state’s economy. Georgia ranks first in the nation in the production of poultry and eggs and peanuts and ranks second in cotton production. Today’s witnesses represented the diversity of Georgia’s agricultural production including poultry, cotton, peanut, livestock, soybean, wheat, corn, fruit and vegetable producers.

“This hearing today in Valdosta provided Georgia farmers an opportunity to share with us their experiences with the 2002 Farm Bill. We heard what portions of the Farm Bill have been working, what has not worked, and what priorities Georgia farmers believe we should address in the next farm bill,” said Congressman Scott.

At least 160 members of the community attended the hearing including local producers and agribusiness leaders. Committee Members included: Congressman David Scott, D-GA, Chairman Jerry Moran, R-KS, Randy Neugebauer, R-TX, Mike Conaway, R-TX, Subcommittee Ranking Minority Member Bob Etheridge, D-NC, Jim Marshall, D-GA, John Barrow, D-GA, and Rick Larsen, D-WA. Reps. Jack Kingston, R-GA, and Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., D-GA, both members of the House Appropriations Committee, also participated in the hearing.

To receive up-to-date schedule and news information from the Committee throughout the farm bill hearing process, please visit the House Committee on Agriculture website to sign up for email updates: http://agriculture.house.gov/Eupdates/updates.html.

WITNESS LIST

Panel I

Mr. Donald Chase, Peanut, Corn and Poultry Producer, Oglethorpe, Georgia

Mr. Wavell Robinson, Cotton Producer, Pavo, Georgia

Mr. Bill Brim, Fruit and Vegetable Producer, Tifton, Georgia

Mr. Mike Newberry, Cotton, Corn, Peanut, and Cattle Producer, Arlington, Georgia

Mr. R. Lee Webster, Jr., Cotton, Corn, Soybean, and Wheat Producer, Waynesboro, Georgia

Mr. Ralph Cavender, Onion, Peanut, Corn, and Soybean Producer, Claxton, Georgia