The 2012 Farm Bill gained the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee’s recommendation Thursday with bipartisan vote of 35-11.

The legislation, which would fund federal agricultural programs for five years, clears the way for the bill to next be approved by the entire House.

“The most important thing was there was a strong bipartisan vote with Democrats and Republicans,” said Dean Norton, president of the New York State Farm Bureau. “It’s a telling sign about the need to get this done soon.”

The U.S. Senate approved its version of the bill in June. The deadline to pass the legislation before the current farm bill expires is Sept. 30.

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