The National Farmers Union on Tuesday released the following statement from NFU President Roger Johnson after Senate passage and President Barack Obama’s signing of the debt ceiling legislation:

“I am pleased that the members of Congress and the White House were finally able to come to an agreement on this issue. However, despite the anxiety and negotiating this past week, many difficult decisions remain in the weeks ahead.

“In a recent letter to the White House and Congressional leaders, NFU and 33 other agriculture and rural organizations asked that any cuts to agriculture be proportional and that credit be given to agriculture for the $6 billion reduction it absorbed last year. NFU hopes that any decision to reduce agriculture spending will provide the Senate and House Agriculture Committees with certainty and enough resources to write an effective farm bill.

“The struggle for agriculture funding is not over. As discussions continue for the 2012 Farm Bill, it is imperative that U.S. farmers, ranchers and fishermen have a strong safety net they can rely on in times of need in order to continue to provide the country and the world with a safe and abundant food supply.”