(NAFB.com) – The Senate Ag Committee traveled to Michigan State University late last week to hold its first field hearing on the new farm bill.

The Hagstrom Report says one thing Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman stressed is the importance of bipartisanship in developing the next farm bill. “We heard from farmers and others impacted by the farm bill about how we can strengthen this important legislation, grow the economy, and meet serious new challenges facing the country,” says Stabenow.

Boozman, the ranking Republican, says, “There’s no substitute for getting out of Washington and hearing directly from those impacted by our decisions. I look forward to convening our next hearing in my home state of Arkansas.” Both say the tradition of starting field hearings in the home states of the chair and ranking member sets the tone for putting stakeholders first as they begin discussions on the upcoming farm bill.