WASHINGTON, DC — The National Grange, the nation’s oldest agricultural and rural community organization, applauds the US Congress for passing the Farm Bill Conference Committee report, and urges President Bush to sign the legislation.

The Farm Bill Conference Report, housed in HR 2419, makes significant farm policy reforms, protects the safety net for all of America’s food producers, addresses important infrastructure needs for specialty crops, increases funding to feed our nation’s poor and enhances support for important conservation initiatives.

Ed Luttrell, National Grange President stated, "Congress has listened to the agricultural, conservation and nutritional interests of the American people and passed legislation for our benefit. The National Grange thanks Congress for their diligence in pursuing a farm bill that balances policy priorities with the needs of the American public."

National Grange now urges President Bush to sign the historic legislation. "Even though this legislation is not what the Bush administration initially envisioned when farm bill discussions began, we hope the president realizes the strong bipartisan compromise that was made to achieve final passage of HR 2419 and joins us in support of the legislation," Luttrell concluded.

The National Grange is the nation’s oldest agricultural and rural community organization and has evolved to incorporate the interests of non-farm rural families and communities, as well as the traditional interests of family farmers and ranchers. It has nearly 3,000 state, local and grassroots chapters across 40 states.