ADA, Minn. - The U.S. Senate will pass a new farm bill by the end of the year, and farmers will be pleased with the legislation, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., said Wednesday.
"There's cause to be optimistic," he said.
Coleman, on a swing through western Minnesota, met with farmers in Ada to discuss the U.S. farm bill.
The current farm bill, a series of federal farm programs, expires this year, and Congress is writing a new one.
The U.S. House has already passed its version of the new farm bill. The Senate is working on its own version.
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Coleman praised the work of Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, in crafting the House legislation.
"Collin Peterson did a heck of a job," he said.
Coleman said the Senate version will resemble the House version, which generally has received good marks from area farm organizations.
Coleman said he will work to make sure the Senate version contains provisions for permanent disaster aid and crop insurance.
New farm legislation ultimately must be approved by the House, Senate and President Bush. Bush has concerns about some proposed provisions of the new legislation, Coleman said, "But we can work our way through those."
While the outlook for a favorable new farm bill is good, much work remains, Coleman said.
"We'll be drinking eggnog by the time it's done," he said.
Bill Hejl, an Amenia, N.D., farmer and president of the Red River Valley Sugar Beet Growers Association, gave a thumbs-up after listening to Coleman.
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"It was good stuff," he said.
Connie Gunderson, who farms with her family near Bejou, Minn., also liked what she heard from Coleman.
"It was all positive," she said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jonathan Knutson at (701) 241-5530
