U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) will represent Turlock's interests in hammering out the final version of this year's farm bill, as a member of the Senate-House Farm Bill Conference Committee.

The committee will see U.S. Reps. and Senators hammer out the differences between the two houses' versions of the bill, determining what will eventually become law.

“It's time to conference with the Farm Bill, and work with our Senate counterparts to produce a final product that will maintain a safety net for those most in need, and give American growers and producers a competitive and productive global edge while saving taxpayers money,” Denham said.

Denham, a farmer and agricultural business owner, sits on the House agriculture committee.

Denham said he will fight for reforming nutrition programs for the first time since 1996, and creating a five-year certainty for farmers while saving taxpayers dollars. He also said he will represent the interests of specialty crops, like fruits, tree nuts, and nursery plants which make up a large portion of Central Valley farming.

“We need to support innovative research and development on specialty crops, a major export for our region and our country as a whole,” Denham said.

The farm bill will also address the growing global market with programs that take advantage of new trade agreements and emerging markets, Denham said. And the bill will look to protect local farmers from pests and diseases that originate on other countries, while maintaining state rights.

“It's imperative that we uphold a state's rights to protect its own agriculture industry by passing laws related to safety and agricultural production,” Denham said.