[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13867]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 VALUABLE FARM BILL LISTENING SESSIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, over the course of the 
summer, I was able to join some farm bill listening sessions with 
Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson. These 
sessions were titled ``The Next Farm Bill, Conversations in the 
Field,'' and they allowed committee members to gather input directly 
from farmers, ranchers, and stakeholders across the country.
  As the House Agriculture Committee works to craft the next farm bill, 
these listening sessions have allowed us to hear firsthand from those 
who are directly impacted by the farm bill. They provide us with real 
world examples of what is working and what isn't.
  With farmers in every region of this country, we heard many different 
perspectives. This feedback will help us write the best legislation 
possible.
  Now, my schedule permitted me to attend listening sessions in 
Gainesville, Florida; San Angelo, Texas; and Decatur, Illinois. I also 
hosted a listening session in my own district. Our ``Barnyard 
Discussion'' at Penn State's Ag Progress Days focused on issues driving 
the state of agriculture in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I was 
joined by my Democratic colleague, Congressman Dwight Evans of 
Philadelphia; as well as Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell 
Reading; and Rick Ebert, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
  We heard from a variety of stakeholders, including those from the 
Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, the Center for Dairy Excellence, the 
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, and the 
Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.
  Penn State's Ag Progress Days is Pennsylvania's largest outdoor 
agricultural expo. Proudly, there are numerous opportunities for 
attendees to hear from their State and Federal lawmakers about 
regulations, policies, and government programs through various events 
and exhibits.
  The Barnyard Discussion is an annual event for me and, in the same 
fashion, as the committee's listening session, it allows me to hear how 
our Federal policies are working for those who are directly impacted by 
these decisions. Producers from across the Commonwealth flock to 
Pennsylvania Furnace for the 3-day event that features the latest 
technology and research exhibits, educational programs, and guided 
tours.
  This year marked the 42nd year, and it is one of only three 
agriculture exhibitions in the country to be sponsored by a major 
university. I especially enjoyed the Barnyard Discussion, and I 
gathered excellent insight about the challenges and successes facing 
the agriculture industry.
  These sessions were particularly important to me, as chairman of the 
Nutrition Subcommittee, because Federal nutrition programs are vital to 
ensuring that all Americans have access to healthy foods, especially 
our low-income populations, the elderly, and those living in areas with 
strained access to nutritious foods, or what we call food deserts.
  Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--or 
SNAP--support agriculture and lessen the effects of poverty on our most 
vulnerable citizens.
  As we begin to work on the next farm bill, we will continue to 
identify ways--through Federal, State and local programs--to provide 
safe and nutritious food for those who need it most. Gathering feedback 
from Americans who farm every corner of this Nation is essential as we 
work to construct the next farm bill. I am grateful to all those who 
shared their stories and their insights with us.
  Our farmers feed. They are the stewards of our land, and their 
insights are invaluable to the Agriculture Committee.

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