RSS Feed |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Congress passes farm bill Second District Congressman Sanford Bishop, along with Georgia Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, backed a bipartisan farm bill last week that invests in improved nutrition, conservation, renewable energy and farm programs. "This bill will help producers of all commodities stay on the land they hold and love, and encourage conservation of natural resources and land for use by future generations," said Congressman Bishop. "Many of the needs of Southwest Georgia are addressed by this bill. The peanut rotation program, which we paved the way for in the House bill last summer, will bring peanut growers into the next generation of agriculture by encouraging a cleaner, greener method of planting while ensuring an affordable and accessible supply to the markets that rely on U.S.-grown peanuts." While the bill is being blasted by critics, including President Bush, as being laden with pork, struggling farmers will receive much needed aid from the legislation. The farm bill also reforms disaster assistance to make it a permanent, paid for program for farmers with crops stricken by natural disasters such as drought and flood. Nearly three-fourths of the farm bill will support nutrition programs that help 38 million American families afford healthy food. The legislation also boosts conservation programs that reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water and air quality, and reduce damage caused by floods and other natural disasters. Under the bill, farmers will play a greater role in fueling our energy independence. The farm bill invests $1 billion in renewable energy focusing on new technologies and new sources. It takes another critical step in transi- tioning biofuels beyond corn to non-food crops and sources such as switchgrass, woodchips and corn stalks. Despite the reforms to farm programs within the bill and the critical programs funded by this longworked for legislation, President Bush has threatened a veto. "This bill represents meaningful compromise on behalf of the lawmakers to whom this legislation is most important, meets the White House demands by more than half way, and means billions of dollars to not just rural America, but to people living in every corner of this country," said Congressman Bishop. "If we can spend billions of dollars fighting a war and rebuilding another country - including supporting that country's land use and agriculture programs - I think we ought to be able to find it within our means here in Congress to support American agriculture."
For a complete overview of the bill please visit: http://agriculture.house.gov /inside/FarmBill.html
|
for larger version       |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
