Owens op-ed on Farm Bill

U.S. Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, is upset with House leadership for not bringing the 2012 Farm Bill to the floor for a vote.

In a commentary posted on his website, Owens writes that the Farm Bill "is not just about food and nutrition.

"It's a jobs bill, a trade bill, a research bill, an energy bill, a rural infrastructure bill, and a conservation bill," he said.

The current version of the Farm Bill expires at the end of September. Owens said not approving a new five-year bill "has serious implications for farmers who toil in a difficult and risky business.

"These are especially difficult times for New York farms, which face challenges ranging from natural disasters to labor shortages," he said.

"After many months of bipartisan work in the House and Senate, the failure of House leadership to allow a vote on the farm bill before its September 30 expiration is yet another disappointing example of politicians putting politics over people," Owens added.

You can read Owens' Farm Bill commentary in its entirety here.