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• Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and the administrator of the federal Risk Management Agency Brandon Willis were the featured speakers at the rally.
• "As a member of the Senate, I hear you loud and clear," Sen. Johnson said. "I share your frustration with how slow this process has been."
• Sen. Johnson said he was impressed by the large number of groups involved in the Back the Farm Bill coalition and the diverse interests the members represent.
• "It goes to show that the farm bill impacts all Americans, not just farmers and ranchers," Johnson said. "It's incredible how this broad group of organizations, each with different and sometimes with competing priorities, can come together and advocate as one for passing a farm bill."
• The farm bill has been at a standstill since the U.S. House defeated a comprehensive bill on the floor in a close vote in July, but later passed a farm-only bill, leaving out the nutrition title that includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Senate passed its version of a comprehensive bill in June, and now the two chambers will have to work out the differences in the bill during a conference committee. It'll take compromise from both parties to get a farm bill to the president's desk, Johnson said.
• "It supports millions of jobs across the country, provides a safety net to producers through effective risk management and feeds the hungry all while reducing the national debt," Johnson said. "Not everything in the bill was perfect. Not everyone up here supported each individual piece of the bill, myself included. But that's what compromise is all about. That's what we have to do to develop a long-term farm bill."
• Administrator Willis said historically Congress has passed farm bills to keep up with changing times. Agriculture has changed dramatically since the first farm bill was passed in 1933 and it's because of comprehensive legislation that Americans have a safe, affordable food supply.
• "United States consumers pay the least amount of their income for food in the grocery store than consumers in any developed nation. That doesn't happen by accident," Willis said. "You combine a solid federal policy with the ingenuity of the hard-working American farmer and it's led us to pretty good places. None of this would've happened without policy that keeps up with the time. Outdated policy will give us outdated results."
• The current farm bill extension expires Sept. 30 and Congress returns to the nation's capital Sept. 9. The 'Back the Farm Bill' coalition has been working to educate the public about the importance of a comprehensive five-year farm bill while urging members of Congress to support the legislation's passage. The coalition members have agreed to support five main points: The farm bill must be a compromise; another extension of the 2008 farm bill is not a viable option; the farm bill must contain

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