U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (CA-10) was selected Wednesday, July 18 as a U.S. House of Representatives conferee for the 2018 Farm Bill. The announcement follows Wednesday’s vote to proceed to conference on the bill with the U.S. Senate – a process which reconciles differences in each bill.

“As an almond farmer, I understand the importance of protecting our Valley farmers and way of life,” said Rep. Denham. “We produce more than $6 billion worth of crops in just Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties alone and we must sustain our farmland for future generations.”

The House version of the bill, H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, included provisions to strengthen existing ag programs, target resources towards rural development and pest and disease prevention, encourage conservation efforts, and provide a reliable safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers. The bill also facilitated agricultural trade by supporting the development of new international markets for U.S. agricultural exports.

“Today, we move one step closer to delivering a strong, new farm bill to the president’s desk on time as he has called on Congress to do. America’s farmers and ranchers and rural America are struggling right now and they deserve the certainty of a strong farm bill to see them through to better times. The House has pulled together a solid team of conferees – including Rep. Denham. I’m looking forward to working with Jeff, who has been a strong voice for agriculture through this process, and the rest of our House and Senate colleagues to reach a final product that helps millions of low-income Americans climb the economic ladder, while standing by our nation’s hard-working farm and ranch families,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (TX-11).