This week the Senate appointed conference committee members to negotiate an agreement on the farm bill (H.R. 2642). The appointees are Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Thad Cochran (R-MI), Max Baucus (D-MT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), ) John Boozman (R-AR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Pat Roberts (R-KS). The House has not named conference members. The current Farm Bill extension expires September 30, 2013. NADO has joined a coalition of other organizations in writing to the House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership in support of a robust Rural Development title and in support of the Senate farm bill’s mandatory funding levels for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, the Water/Wastewater Backlog, and Value Added Producer Grants. Click here to view a copy of the letter.