Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Senator Tom Harkin Ushers 2007 Farm Bill Through Senate
As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, I could not be more proud of the passage of the 2007 farm bill, The Food and Energy Security Act. We have traveled down a long road to get to this point, and our hard work has resulted in a very strong bill. This afternoon, my legislation garnered more votes than any farm bill since 1973. The final vote was an overwhelming 79-14. The bill now heads to a joint meeting with the House of Representatives to work out the differences.
This is a strong, bipartisan bill - evident by the fact that it passed our Committee after only one day of deliberation with no negative votes voiced against it and passed the Senate today by a vast majority. After months of negotiation, we were able to adhere to strict budget allocations to complete our work and pass a farm bill that is good for agriculture, good for rural areas, good for our energy frontier and good for the health of Iowa and all of America.
This bill is truly an investment in Iowa’s future. The conservation portions of the bill will extend key programs and increases critical funding. It allows the Conservation Stewardship Program - previously the Conservation Security Program - to grow vigorously. It will enroll over 417,000 acres in Iowa every year. At anticipated rates per acre, this will send Iowa an additional $11 million each year in conservation funding - nearly $170 million in new conservation funding over the five years of the farm bill.
At a time when oil prices are at all time highs, global warming is now beyond dispute, and we have grown even more dependent on oil imports from some of the most unstable regions of the world, the energy provisions in the farm bill will help unleash the potential of agriculture and rural communities to supply energy to our nation. In Iowa, a new incentive program will encourage farmers to grow biomass crops to supply energy production at biorefineries. It will also provide investments in farm-based energy that will assist projects in Iowa to get support from both USDA and the Iowa Power Fund.
The farm bill also serves as an opportunity to invest in the health and nutrition of American children by expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and invest in the health of the nation by expanding access to farmer’s markets and organic produce. The 2007 farm bill expands the program I created in my 2002 bill to reach nearly 65,000 Iowa elementary school children.
As we move to the conference meeting with the House, I will continue to push for the reforms we have achieved with this bill. I look forward to a swift conclusion and encourage the President to sign it into law.
