Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced the Committee’s first Farm Bill field hearing will be held on May 31 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan at the Kellogg Center.  The hearing, “Opportunities for Growth: Michigan and the 2012 Farm Bill,” will focus on the upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill, examining agriculture as well as energy, conservation, rural development, research, forestry and nutrition policies.

NACo members are encouraged to attend and can RSVP by calling 202-224-2035 or by emailing aghearing@ag.senate.gov.  Chairwoman Stabenow is also accepting written testimony, which will be included in the official record.    Send your testimony no later than June 7, 2011 to aghearing@ag.senate.gov.  You may also submit questions for possible consideration by the panel members during a limited question and answer period before May 26, 2011.

Click here for NACo’s Farm Bill priorities fact sheet which can be used as a guide for your comments. http://www.naco.org/legislation/policies/Documents/Agriculture%20and%20Rural%20Affairs/ecj%20%20–%20%20Farm%20Bill.pdf