Bismarck, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven met in Washington, D.C. Monday and Tuesday with Congressional and White House officials on a range of North Dakota issues, including renewal of the Farm Bill, energy development, water projects, and the North Dakota Air National Guard mission.

FARM BILL - Hoeven met with leaders in both the House and Senate, as well as the administration, including Rep. Collin Peterson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, as well as members of the North Dakota congressional delegation.

Hoeven emphasized some of the priorities that need to be included in a good farm bill for North Dakota. These include:

A countercyclical safety net for producers, with increases in some target prices, including wheat.

Direct payments, with increases for North Dakota crops such as wheat, barley, Soybeans and oil seeds.

Either a disaster title or improved crop insurance to help address weather-related agriculture disasters.

Solid renewable energy and conservation titles.

These provisions are included in the bill that has passed the House Agriculture committee, although the disaster assistance is in the form of a gap insurance policy, which needs more work., Hoeven said. Disaster assistance should be included in the final version of the bill as a disaster title, he said. The bill will likely move to the House floor for a full vote on Thursday, and then be taken up by the Senate after the August recess.

"Getting a good farm bill is a priority for us, and the House version is a good start," Hoeven said. "It's tracking, and we'll continue to work for disaster assistance on the Senate side. We believe the best solution is a disaster title, or their needs to be improvement to the crop insurance title."


Hoeven also met with U.S. Department of Agriculture Sec. Mike Johanns and White House agriculture advisor Hunter Moorehead to lobby for administration support for the bill and North Dakota's priorities. Administration officials said they are committed to getting a farm bill signed this year.

ENERGY - Hoeven also met with Deputy Secretary of Energy Clay Sell and Acting Assistant Secretary for Fossil Fuels Thomas Shope to push for support for North Dakota energy projects. Hoeven said he pressed for loan guarantees and tax benefits to move projects forward.

He also said he encourages support for a new energy bill that would enhance support for biofuels, wind, coal to liquid and clean coal technology.

"Our sense is that Congress will move, and the President will sign, a farm bill this year, but a comprehensive energy bill is less likely," Hoeven said.

NORTHWEST AREA WATER SUPPLY PROJECT - Hoeven also met with Interior Secretary Kempthorne to press for funding for a water treatment option selected by the Bureau of Reclamation for the Northwest Area Water Supply Project. The option emerged from the process of drafting an environmental impact statement. The secretary said he would bring together the cooperating agencies, including the U.S. State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, to help develop an action plan for funding and implementing the treatment element.

AIR NATIONAL GUARD MISSION - Hoeven also met with Gen. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon, to continue his efforts to promote the N.D. National Guard's future air mission. Blum said the North Dakota Air National Guard was on track to receive the joint cargo aircraft by 2011 or 2012 to replace the current C21 mission.

Hoeven and Gen. Blum also discussed the Guard's recent successful unmanned aerial vehicle command and control mission, during which members conducted combat air operations overseas from Fargo. The Governor told the general that North Dakota National Guard is able and ready to take on additional mission capabilities.

Hoeven also raised the need to improve conditions at Ft. McCoy in Wisconsin, which serves as a point of departure for troops deploying overseas. The Governor on Sunday visited the 817th Engineer Company, who are scheduled to serve in Iraq. Hoeven said the military needs to provide adequate housing and support for troops preparatory to their living country.

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