Roger Johnson Reacts to State of the Union

WASHINGTON  – National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson released the following statement after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address this evening:

“NFU applauds President Obama and the administration’s commitment to address our budget deficit through both reasonable revenue increases and responsible spending reductions. In order for important programs to continue to be effective, another round of withering cuts through sequestration must be prevented.

“As the president stated, we have purchased less foreign oil than we have in 20 years. Farmers and ranchers are leading the way in the clean energy revolution, providing feedstocks to advanced biorefineries and harnessing the wind and sun to power the country as well as their own operations.

“The president’s call for Congress to pass a market-based solution to climate change is also very encouraging. Extreme weather events like the current drought are hurting America’s farmers and ranchers ability to provide the nation with food, feed, fiber, and fuel. Given the right incentives, agriculture can play a significant role in combating climate change by being a part of the solution.

“No one is more in need of ‘high-tech schools’ and ‘high-speed Internet’ than our rural students and communities. Any solution that tackles our education and technology challenges must address the needs of rural America.

“Finally, we commend the president for his emphasis on finding a bipartisan solution to our nation’s immigration crisis. However, the agriculture industry faces different challenges than other U.S. industries, and it is clear that any comprehensive immigration reform proposal must recognize and address these needs.

“NFU will continue to work with the Obama administration and Congress to ensure that future policies are put in place that are in the best interest of U.S. family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, rural residents and consumers.”