WASHINGTON, June 21 -- The office of Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., issued the following news release:

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) today applauded Senate passage of the 2012 Farm Bill in a 64-35 vote.

"Because agriculture is North Carolina's largest industry, generating $74 billion in economic activity and employing nearly one-fifth of our state's workers, I fought very hard to ensure that that the interests of North Carolina's diverse agriculture industry were considered throughout Senate deliberations," Hagan said.

Hagan also applauded her Senate colleagues for the bipartisan cooperation that allowed the reauthorization of the farm bill to go forward. "I now urge the House to take up the farm bill with the same spirit of bipartisanship we were able to bring to our Senate deliberations. It's important for the certainty necessary for America's farmers to continue to grow our agricultural economy," Hagan said.

"The Farm Bill and the safety net that it provides is an essential part of a healthy agriculture for North Carolina and the nation. Farm Bureau thanks Senator Hagan for supporting the movement of this legislation out of the Senate," said North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten.

"I'm especially proud that my 'Plain Language' amendment is included and will give our nation's farmers the information they need to make informed decisions about new federal crop insurance programs," Hagan said. "Crop insurance policies and programs written by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are complex and technical and can be very difficult to unravel. My amendment will allow farmers to do what they do best: farm."

Hagan's "Plain Language" amendment would require the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) to use clear, concise and easily readable information about federal crop insurance programs. In addition, the amendment requires USDA to improve their Web site so that farmers have easy access to clear information about existing and new crop insurance policies created in the 2012 Farm Bill.

In addition, Senator Hagan said she "plans to keep fighting to include a provision in the final bill to eliminate a redundant and unnecessary EPA regulation on pesticides."

TNS RadHar67-120622-JF78-3920240 StaffFurigay

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