Griffith Statement on House Passage of Farm Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives voted favorably on H.R. 7567 - the Farm, Food, and National Security Act. The legislation will be sent to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

Following passage of the bill, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), who voted for the bill, issued the following statement:

"Agriculture is fundamental to Virginia's Ninth District. Our farmers plant crops, raise livestock and tend to the agricultural needs of our communities.

"I believe the Farm, Food, and National Security Act will help support Ninth District farmers, ranchers and rural communities. This bill will stimulate the farm economy, generate business growth and create opportunity for Ninth District farmers."

BACKGROUND

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act allows institutions like Virginia Tech to be eligible to receive federal funding through various research grant opportunities.

Among other things, the farm bill creates a pilot program for custom slaughter establishments. Small meat-processing facilities will be able to sell their meat inside the Commonwealth of Virginia as long as their product has a label that says the product is not inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Meat processing and rendering grants are available to support resilient local food systems, analyze businesses opportunities and improve local and regional meat or poultry processing and rendering.

Additionally, the promotion of 21^st century technologies will help farmers modernize their operations to make them more efficient.

Also, the farm bill prioritizes financial support to domestic specialty crops. Vineyards in Virginia's Ninth District can take advantage of this benefit.

Groups that support this bill include the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Virginia Cattlemen's Association, the Virginia Agribusiness Council, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Virginia Pork Council.

In a February op-ed, Congressman Griffith wrote about the importance of policies that tend to the health care needs of rural communities, including American farmers.

###