U.S. Cotton Industry Congratulates Senator Lincoln on New Post

MEMPHIS – The National Cotton Council (NCC), on behalf of the U.S. cotton industry, congratulates Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) on being named to chair the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Senator Lincoln, who replaces Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), will be the first Arkansan and first female ever to chair that Committee in the panel’s 184-year history.

“Senator Lincoln cares deeply about rural America and has worked diligently on behalf of production agriculture, nutrition programs and conservation initiatives,” said Louisiana cotton producer Jay Hardwick, NCC Chairman. “She will be an outstanding leader of the Senate Agriculture Committee!”

Hardwick said Senator Lincoln, who has been a member of the Senate agriculture committee since 1999, has been a champion of agriculture and rural America. That includes working diligently on issues ranging from childhood nutrition to commodities regulation and farm bill implementation. She played a key role in the 2008 farm bill debate, working on a bipartisan basis, ensuring a strong safety net for America’s farm families.

Former NCC Chairman Larry McClendon, an Arkansas cotton producer and ginner, said Senator Lincoln represents rural America’s values in a very effective way and that she will provide exceptional leadership in this new role.

“No Senator has worked harder or cares more about production agriculture, nutrition and conservation than Senator Lincoln,” McClendon said. “She will be an outstanding leader of U.S. agriculture as she demonstrated working in a bipartisan manner with Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) on the 2008 Farm Bill.”