PA Farm News
May 16, 2008
PA Farm Bureau: U.S. Congress Passes Balanced Farm Bill
CAMP HILL -- Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) says the comprehensive Farm Bill passed by the U.S. House and Senate will benefit a wide variety of nutritional, agricultural and environmental programs, while providing an equitable safety net for American farmers.
The Farm Bill includes numerous initiatives that will directly benefit Pennsylvania agriculture and consumers, including the strengthening of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program; the appropriation of new funding to encourage the consumption of specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables; additional funding for farmland preservation; and the significant increase in funding for conservation programs, including programs to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
“Overall, we believe the Farm Bill legislation meets the challenge of creating an adequate safety net for farmers, while funding programs to improve the environment and provide a reliable source of food for low-income Americans. In addition, Americans have access to the safest, most abundant and affordable food supply in the world, and the Farm Bill will help that continue,” said PFB President Carl T. Shaffer.
Farm Bureau noted that approximately 75% of the funding designated for the Farm Bill goes toward food stamps, food banks, school snack and other nutrition programs that positively impact millions of Americans each year.
Despite increases in funding of $10.3 billion for nutrition programs and $7.9 billion for conservation programs, the Farm Bill does not include a tax increase. “Answering the call for reform, this Farm Bill will spend $40 billion less on commodity programs and reduce the income cap by 80% for farmers with the highest levels of income,” added Shaffer.
With the word from the White House that President Bush will veto the bill, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is calling on Pennsylvania’s Congressional Delegation to vote for an override of the President’s veto. “Contrary to claims by Farm Bill opponents, a significant portion of farm safety net programs is only implemented when prices collapse or when there is a loss of production. The legislation includes reforms that cut direct payments, commodity programs and ethanol production tax credits, while bolstering environmental programs and increasing overall funding to fight hunger,” concluded Shaffer.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of more than 42,500 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across Pennsylvania.
CAMP HILL -- Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) says the comprehensive Farm Bill passed by the U.S. House and Senate will benefit a wide variety of nutritional, agricultural and environmental programs, while providing an equitable safety net for American farmers.
The Farm Bill includes numerous initiatives that will directly benefit Pennsylvania agriculture and consumers, including the strengthening of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program; the appropriation of new funding to encourage the consumption of specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables; additional funding for farmland preservation; and the significant increase in funding for conservation programs, including programs to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
“Overall, we believe the Farm Bill legislation meets the challenge of creating an adequate safety net for farmers, while funding programs to improve the environment and provide a reliable source of food for low-income Americans. In addition, Americans have access to the safest, most abundant and affordable food supply in the world, and the Farm Bill will help that continue,” said PFB President Carl T. Shaffer.
Farm Bureau noted that approximately 75% of the funding designated for the Farm Bill goes toward food stamps, food banks, school snack and other nutrition programs that positively impact millions of Americans each year.
Despite increases in funding of $10.3 billion for nutrition programs and $7.9 billion for conservation programs, the Farm Bill does not include a tax increase. “Answering the call for reform, this Farm Bill will spend $40 billion less on commodity programs and reduce the income cap by 80% for farmers with the highest levels of income,” added Shaffer.
With the word from the White House that President Bush will veto the bill, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is calling on Pennsylvania’s Congressional Delegation to vote for an override of the President’s veto. “Contrary to claims by Farm Bill opponents, a significant portion of farm safety net programs is only implemented when prices collapse or when there is a loss of production. The legislation includes reforms that cut direct payments, commodity programs and ethanol production tax credits, while bolstering environmental programs and increasing overall funding to fight hunger,” concluded Shaffer.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of more than 42,500 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across Pennsylvania.
POSTED 080516_0930 ET
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