May 14, 2008: Kaptur Backs New Farm Bill, Citing Commitment To Strengthen Family Farms and Feed Hungry Americans

May 15, 2008

The Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 318-106, which would indicate enough support to override a threatened veto by President Bush.

“This legislation gives a lifeline to millions of American families who are struggling with soaring food prices,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “The need is urgent, even overwhelming, right here in our own region, which is part of America ’s agriculture powerhouse. The bill also strengthens America ’s family farms and improves our agricultural security.”

Congresswoman Kaptur expressed great satisfaction with several key provisions of the bill that she had fought to incorporate into U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policies for almost a decade, including:

· A major commitment to bioenergy fuel production along with food, fiber and forestry;
· Expansion and strengthening of the Senior Farmers Market Coupon program, which has been extremely popular in areas of the Ninth Congressional District;
· Enlargement of the Farmers Market promotion program to help family farmers sell their products, including use of electronic benefit transfer cards;
· A requirement for USDA to include vegetables and fruits in its nutrition programs and expanded research and marketing for specialty crops;
· Expansion of emergency food commodities to meet growing shortages in food banks and pantries across the country;
· Implementation of country of origin labeling requirements for food products, including meat, so consumers know where their food originates;
· Extension of farm protection programs, with funding increases; and,
· A moratorium on closing or relocating county Farm Service Agency offices for two years.

Congresswoman Kaptur, who was the original backer for creating the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides coupons to senior citizens to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets, said the bill will invest $103 million into the program nationwide.

Approximately 73.5 percent of the funds in the legislation will support nutrition programs that help feed 38 million American families. The bill expands the food stamp program to help approximately 11 additional million Americans by the year 2012 and gives much-needed support to emergency feeding organizations such as food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens by increasing funding by $1.25 billion – with $50 million for immediate shortages at food pantries. Additionally, the bill helps provide healthy snacks to students, with $1 billion for free fresh fruits and vegetables under the National School Lunch Program.

The bill will aid struggling farmers by reforming disaster assistance to make it a permanent, paid-for program when crops are damaged or destroyed by natural disasters. To encourage conservation, the bill boosts by $7.9 billion programs that reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water and air quality, and increase wildlife habitat.

The bill will help farmers play a greater role in fueling America ’s energy independence by investing $1 billion in renewable energy. It will focus on new technologies and new sources, taking another critical step in moving beyond corn as an energy source to non-food crops as well as switchgrass, woodchips, corn stalks and sugar crops.

Finally, the legislation takes a step in the direction of subsidy reform. It reduces direct farm payments by $300 million and cuts by $5.7 billion federal payments to crop insurance companies that are making windfall profits due to higher crop prices. Kaptur expressed disappointment that the legislation did not go far enough in capping subsidies to wealthy Americans.

# # #