Grainnet

by Frank Zaworski, Grainnet

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IL) said Oct. 17 that he has been able to reach a basic agreement with key members of the Senate Ag. Committee on the elements of the new farm bill, which is scheduled to be marked up the week of Oct. 22.

"Senator Saxby Chambliss, the Committee's Ranking Member, Senator Kent Conrad, who is a senior Democrat on the Committee, and I believe that the budget framework and the core policy decisions that we've been able to work out for this farm bill will get the support of a solid bipartisan majority of the Committee," Harkin said.

"The proposal is a forward-looking bill with critical investments for the future in energy, conservation, nutrition, rural development and promoting better diets and health for all Americans," said Harkin.

The Senate's version of the farm bill provides $4.2 billion in new funding over 5 years.

For nutrition, it provides $1 billion to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program nationwide to reach nearly 4.5 million low-income children across the country.

The conservation title has an estimated $4 billion in new budget authority, not including funding moved back from the out years.

Harkin said this will allow CSP — now renamed the Conservation Stewardship Program — to grow vigorously at over 13 million acres a year.

This funding will also continue to allow enrollment in the Wetland Reserve Program and devote $165 million to fund cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay.

The farm bill proposal will provide 1.3 billion dollars in investments into farm-based energy by supporting programs to help farmers begin to establish biomass crops and offering resources for grants and loan guarantees for cellulosic biorefineries.

The proposal expands markets for biobased products and looks to the future of energy production by offering investments in research and development of farm-based energy and funding to help farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses make energy efficiency and renewable energy investments, Harkin said.

In rural development, the bill has nearly half a billion dollars that will go toward a variety of initiatives that will promote economic growth and jobs in rural areas. The title continues the Value-Added Producer Grant Programs.

See Related Websites/Articles:

• USDA

more GRAIN NEWS...