Robert McKnight Jr., president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), issued the following statement Thursday following House passage of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the farm bill:

“We applaud today’s passage of the farm bill and thank Congressman Mike Conaway, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, for his diligent work on the legislation and uncompromising dedication to the agriculture community. In Texas, cattle contribute more than $10.5 billion to the economy each year, and the farm bill is an important tool to ensure cattle producers in Texas and across the nation can continue their tireless work to provide the beef demanded by American consumers.

“The House version of the 2018 Farm Bill contains a number of specific provisions to safeguard cattle raisers. These include funding for a vaccine bank in the event of a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, research, foreign market development and conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that are utilized by cattle producers.

“We look forward to continuing our work with lawmakers and administration officials to implement a farm bill that will secure the future of our nation’s cattle producers.”