Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Clinton Urges McCain to Join Her in Support of Farm Bill

Says bill is crucial to Montana's ag communities

Hillary Clinton urged Sen. John McCain to join her in support of the 2008 farm bill, which would provide Montana family farms with priorities like permanent disaster relief, country of origin labeling, renewable energy advances and rural development broadband deployment.

According to reports, McCain indicated recently he may oppose the farm bill. He missed votes on the Farm Bill in 2007, and in 2002 called a farm bill critical to Montana family farms "an appalling breach of our federal spending responsibility."

"Rural America is struggling in the face of skyrocketing energy prices, an economic downturn and rising food prices," Clinton said. "A 'no' vote from Sen. McCain on the farm bill would be a vote against rural Montana."

"Hillary Clinton is behind the farm bill and behind Montana agriculture," said Montana farmer and rancher Ken Hansen. "Montana's farm and ranch families need to know that the federal government is with us, and not against us." [Click here] to listen.

Clinton's home state of New York has 34,000 family farms.

Senator Hillary Clinton made these statements on the importance of the farm bill at the Mansfield-Metcalf Dinner in Butte on March 4:

"There is a feeling that the deck is stacked against family farms. I'm committed to working with your two great senators to pass a strong Farm Bill that works for true family farms, with priorities like permanent disaster relief, strengthening country of origin labeling, renewable energy advances, rural development, broadband deployment." [Click here] to listen.

"This Farm Bill needs to move and the president needs to get out of the way so that we can start taking care of rural America." [Click here] to listen.