Contact: Todd Deutsch 202-224-9921

Bismarck, ND – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today called on the U.S. House of Representatives to try again to pass a long-term Farm Bill, or consider the Senate-passed version. Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, was joined at a roundtable discussion with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Acting Deputy Secretary Michael Scuse and North Dakota producers. On the heels of the successful passage of the Farm Bill in the Senate by a strong bipartisan majority, the House failed to pass its own version of the Farm Bill 195-234.

“Instead of coming together to agree on a bipartisan piece of legislation that gets rid of unnecessary programs, saves billions of dollars for the American taxpayer and preserves a farm safety net, the House failed rural America,” said Heitkamp. “They can still redeem themselves, though. If they can’t pass their own bill, I urge them to take up the bipartisan Senate Farm Bill. It cuts the deficit by $24 billion and makes smart reforms to American agriculture, an economic engine that supports over 16 million jobs.”

Acting Deputy Secretary Scuse is the number two official at USDA responsible for overseeing all of the agencies and programs at the Department. Prior to his current role, Scuse served as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service where he oversaw the administration of all domestic farm programs. Scuse is a farmer from Delaware who has been involved in agricultural policy a various roles for the previous 20 years.  

Today’s roundtable, which took place at Bismarck State College, was also attended by: Governor Jack Dalrymple; Jasper Schneider, Executive Director, USDA Rural Development; Larry Skogen, President, Bismarck State College; Tom Lilja, Executive Director, North Dakota Corn Growers; Deana Wiese, Executive Director, North Dakota Ethanol Council; Kristi Carlson, Counsel, North Dakota Farmers Union; Pam Musland, North Dakota Farmers Union; Dan Woglsand, Executive Director, North Dakota Grain Growers; Barry Coleman, Executive Director, Northern Canola Growers Association; Nick Sinner, Executive Director, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association; Jessie Bateman, Assistant to the Executive Director, U.S. Durum Growers Association; David Archer, Northern Great Plains Research; Bon Wikenheiser, State Director, Small Business Development Center; Annie Carlson, Executive Director, FAARMS; Aaron Krauter, State Executive Director, FSA; Wendy Hogue, USDA Rural Development; and Scott Davis, Executive Director, Indian Affairs Commission.

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