The president of the North Dakota Grain Growers has harsh words for the US House of Representatives.
"I'll tell you something -- if you had employees, and they weren't getting the job done, I don't think you'd give them a six-week vacation," said Dan Wogsland. "Congress decided to give itself a six week vacation. They've got some work to do."
Wogsland says Congress needs to pass a farm bill. The current farm bill expires Sept. 30th.
The Senate passed its version of the farm bill. The House has passed a small drought relief bill, aimed at livestock operations. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) says there is still time for the House to act on the farm bill.
"If they'll just pass anything, we've told them, 'We'll go to conference. We'll work out the differences. We'll try to get a responsible package," Conrad said.
Conrad said in the Senate, the farm bill received 64 votes -- on a bi-partisan basis.
"$23 billion in savings, a safety net, a good bill for North Dakota," said Conrad. "Yet here the House is so divided on the Republican side, they can't even bring a bill to the floor."
Wogsland is hoping the House will vote on a farm bill.
"The number one priority among North Dakota farmers and ranchers is food security and the security of a farm bill," said Wogsland. "We don't have that yet."
