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U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) voted today in support of H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture, Reform, and Risk Management Act (FARRM) of 2013, which calls for reduced spending, smaller government and common-sense reform to our farm programs.

“As a farmer, I know how critical the farm bill is to Valley farmers, ranchers and rural communities,” said Rep. Denham. “This bipartisan bill, which is nearly four years in the making, provides much-needed reforms to the programs that our agriculture industry relies on most. It will provide certainty and predictability to our nation’s farmers, who help keep our economy running.”

The FARRM Act is the result of having held over 40 hearings on every nearly every subject of the bill. The bill achieves nearly $20 billion in savings by eliminating outdated government programs and reforming others to reduce the federal deficit, while expanding popular and successful programs that recognize the diversity of U.S. specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, horticulture and nursery crops. FARRM makes our agricultural programs more cost-effective and market-oriented and includes the most significant reduction to farm policy in history, repealing or consolidating more than 100 programs administered by the USDA, including Direct Payments to farmers.

The bill also includes an amendment that improves current and future efforts to support the long-term viability of pollinator bees and other beneficial insects in agriculture. As a Central Valley almond farmer and co-chair of the House Pollinator Caucus, Rep. Denham understands the importance of a healthy apiary industry and its effects on our local agricultural economy.