Introduction
On May 22, 2008 Congress overrode the President's veto on the H.R. 2419, enacting 14 of 15 Farm Bill titles into law. The House vote was 316-108 and the Senate vote was 82-13. The new Farm Bill garnered the support of more than 1054 farm, specialty crop, conservation, nutrition, consumer and religious organizations including the National Grange. While no one got everything they wanted in this Farm Bill, the bill meets the pressing needs of working American families struggling with high food prices and supports America’s farmers and ranchers as they continue to provide a safe, abundant, homegrown supply of food and fiber while protecting our natural resources and developing new sources of renewable energy.
The Farm Bill Homepage on the House Agriculture Committee website has detailed the development of the Farm Bill from the beginning of the legislative process. This page contains information about the new law, legislative language, fact sheets on each title, and additional information about how the new Farm Bill will impact farm, nutrition, conservation, and energy policy.
The conference report on the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the Farm Bill, demonstrates how this legislation makes historic investments in our food and farm economy. The bill expands food security programs, protects vital natural resources, promotes healthier foods and local food networks, and reforms commodity and biofuel programs to reflect the priorities of the nation.
Through a clerical oversight, the important Trade Title of the Farm Bill was included in the conference report passed by Congress but was inadvertently left out of the official copy of the Farm Bill that the President vetoed. The House took immediate action to correct the error ensuring that the entire Farm Bill is enacted into law swiftly. Most of the Farm Bill is now law and the Administration can begin implementing the new programs and policies immediately.
General Overview
The 2008 Farm Bill reforms several farm programs by extending and modernizing farm safety net criteria with an updated adjusted gross income means test. Farm and conservation program transparency was increased, with direct attribution of payments and the ending of practices that result in multiple payment eligibility. Crop insurance programs were changed to prevent windfall reimbursements to crop insurance companies. Finally, the bill budgets for a standing disaster assistance program for crops stricken by catastrophic natural disasters such as drought and flood.
The bill increases spending by $7.9 billion for conservation programs. It doubles funding for the Farm Protection Program to protect agricultural lands from urban and suburban development pressure, and increases funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to enhance and protect our natural resources. The bill continues funding for Grassland Reserve and Wetlands Reserve programs, and creates an Open Fields Program to encourage public access to private land for hunting and fishing as well as a Chesapeake Bay program to help restore and protect the Bay watershed.
The new Farm Bill provides $1 billion to fund programs that will help the renewable energy industry invest in new technologies that use a variety of sources beyond feed grains. Corn ethanol tax credit will be reduced and redirected to incentives for cellulosic ethanol. The bill also creates a loan guarantee program and a program to encourage and develop production of dedicated energy crops. Finally, bioenergy research funding has been increased and renewable energy programs expanded.
The new Farm Bill provides $60 million to purchase food overseas to feed people in need on top of the existing Food for Peace international aid program, along with an evaluation of this change and its effect on U.S. response times. It reauthorizes the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program for infant, child, and school nutrition programs in underdeveloped countries and provides an infusion of $84 million in additional funding. Nutrition programs will be increased by $10.361 billion with appropriate benefit increases that are indexed to the cost of living. Additionally, vital assistance to food banks will be increased by $1.25 billion, and new funding will boost organic agriculture, fruit and vegetable programs, and local food networks. Finally, country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat and produce made mandatory.
Highlights of Important Provisions
Reforming Farm Programs
• Farm program safety net extended and modernized, with an updated adjusted gross income means test for commodity programs
• Farm and conservation program transparency increased, with direct attribution of payments and the ending of practices that result in multiple payment eligibility
• Crop insurance reformed to prevent windfall reimbursements to crop insurance companies
• Budgeted standing disaster assistance program for crops stricken by catastrophic natural disasters such as drought and flood
Protecting the Environment
• Conservation program spending increased by $7.9 billion
• Doubles funding for the Farm Protection Program to protect agricultural lands from urban and suburban development pressure
• Increases funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program to enhance and protect our natural resources
• Continues funding for Grassland Reserve and Wetlands Reserve programs
• Creates an Open Fields Program to encourage public access to private land for hunting and fishing as well as a Chesapeake Bay program to help restore and protect the Bay watershed
Strengthening International Food Aid
• Provides $60 million to purchase food overseas to feed people in need on top of the existing Food for Peace international aid program, along with an evaluation of this change and its effect on U.S. response times
• Reauthorizes the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program for infant, child, and school nutrition programs in underdeveloped countries and provides an infusion of $84 million in additional funding
Food Nutrition and Safety
• Nutrition programs increased by $10.361 billion with appropriate benefit increases that are indexed to the cost of living
• Vital assistance to food banks increased by $1.25 billion
• New funding boosts organic agriculture, fruit and vegetable programs, and local food networks
• Country-of-origin labeling for meat and produce made mandatory
Energy
• Provides $1 billion to fund programs that will help the renewable energy industry invest in new technologies that use a variety of sources beyond feed grains.
• Corn ethanol tax credit reduced and redirected to incentives for cellulosic ethanol
• Creates a loan guarantee program and a program to encourage and develop production of dedicated energy crops
• Bioenergy research increased and renewable energy programs expanded
Click Here for a
Detailed Summary of Key Provisions by Title
If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Samantha Johnson by e-mail: sjohnson@nationalgrange.org, or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 109.
Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.
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