Congress Comes to Colorado for Farm Bill Hearing

Colorado served as host yesterday to the first hearing held outside of Washington, DC on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill by Congress. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) chairs the committee, and our very own Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) is also a member.

Before the hearing, Harkin, Salazar and Gov. Bill Ritter spoke about the new Farm Bill, along with Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Stulp and State Representative Kathleen Curry, chair of the Colorado House committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources.

See video clips of their actual comments after the jump…Salazar opened the press conference emphasizing the need for rural revitalization:

Harkin commented that the Farm Bill is being crafted to reflect the growing importance of biofuels, particularly as an avenue for promoting rural economic development:

Ritter used the press conference as an opportunity to call on Congress to make disaster relief for farmers a permanent part of the Farm Bill:

Ritter also spoke about the importance of biofuels to the agricultural economy here in Colorado:

The speakers spoke in front of a Ford sedan that can run on E-85 gas, a fuel blend that is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

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