Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue Thursday issued the following statement regarding the omnibus spending bill released by Congressional leaders:

“The omnibus spending plan released last night contains a number of our priorities at USDA.  Fixing the so-called 'grain glitch' 199A problem is simply an issue of fairness. We should not be picking winners and losers through the federal tax code by favoring one side over another. Additionally, improving the way we fund wildfire suppression will help us better manage our forests. If we ensure that we have adequate resources for forest management, we can mitigate the frequency and severity of future fire seasons. Increased support for broadband Internet access is in line with Administration goals and will be an important boost as we look to improve the economy in rural America.  Finally, the omnibus clears away red tape for participants in conservation programs by exempting them from having to obtain SAM and DUNS numbers. These were designed for billion-dollar government contractors, not everyday farmers trying to support their families.  I thank Congressional leaders and I look forward to passage of the omnibus containing these extremely important provisions and other items supporting rural America and agriculture.”