WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after President Trump signed the conference report to H.R. 2, the Farm Bill into law:

“Much of our nation’s greatness is founded on the hard work of the men and women that put in the long hours in order to feed a grateful nation; and I’m pleased to see the 2018 Farm Bill signed into law today. As a representative of rural Tennessee, one of my top priorities is making sure farmers in the First District are able to continue producing. The 2018 Farm Bill does many things, but most importantly it sends the message that America has its farmers backs. I was also pleased, as lead sponsor of the House version, to see the text of the Tennessee Wilderness Act included in the final bill to protect 20,000 acres of land in East Tennessee as federally-protected wilderness. Over the past four years, I’ve spoken with farmers and agriculture stakeholders to learn about how to better serve farmers in the district, and I am hopeful this legislation will give farmers in East Tennessee the support they need.” 

Note: The conference report to the 2018 Farm Bill passed the House by a vote of 369 to 47 on Wednesday, December 12. This bill includes the language of the Tennessee Wilderness Act, legislation Rep. Phil Roe introduced in the House on April 27, 2017, and Senators Alexander and Corker introduced in the Senate on the same day. This legislation will designate 20,000 acres of the Cherokee National Forest as a wilderness area, to preserve the land with federal protection.