Three former chiefs of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) praised the introduction on September 13th of the first major agriculture bill introduced prior to the 2007 expiration of the current farm bill because it will help farmers address the nation's energy crisis by boosting funding for renewable energy development on farms, ranches and forest lands. The bipartisan legislation also would provide consumers with greater access to healthy foods and double conservation spending to provide cleaner air, water and wildlife habitat, and help stabilize global warming over the life of the next farm bill.
The bill, "The Healthy Farms, Foods and Fuels Act of 2006," is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and has 26 cosponsors, including two members of the House Agriculture Committee, U.S. Reps. Ed Case (D-HI) and Ben Chandler (D-KY); the chairman of the House Science Committee, U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY); and the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-MI). The other cosponsors are: U.S. Reps. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), Mark Udall (D-CO), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Adam Smith (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), James T. Walsh (R-NY), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sam Farr (D-CA), Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Tom Allen (D-ME), Charles Bass (R-NH), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Sue Kelly (R-NY), and James Oberstar (D-MI).
"The Healthy Farms bill is the most ambitious conservation bill in American history," said Norm Berg, NRCS Chief from 1979 to 1982 and a long-time advisor to the Soil and Water Conservation Society who was raised on a family farm in Pine County, Minnesota. "This bill builds upon a long tradition of voluntary, incentive-based programs and provides a rare opportunity to expand and improve programs that help farmers when they help meet our environmental challenges."
Among other things, The Healthy Farms, Foods and Fuels Act, will:
- Increase from $200 million to $2 billion annual loan guarantees for renewable energy development on farms.
- Expand programs that provide local, healthy food choices to our school children and dramatically expand coupon programs that allow elderly and low income Americans to shop at farmer's markets.
- Double incentives to $2 billion a year for farmers and ranchers to protect drinking water supplies and make other environmental improvements.
- Provide funding to restore nearly 3 million acres of wetlands.
- Provide funding to protect 6 million acres of farm and ranch land from sprawl.
"The next farm bill should provide economic and environmental incentives for all farmers, ranchers and small private forest landowners and should address our nation's energy, health and environmental needs for the 21st century," said Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), the bill's lead sponsor and a member of the House Resources Committee. "Farm and food policies should also build linkages between consumers, especially school children, and local farms that grow healthy foods in ways that protect and restore the environment. Americans need greater access to healthier foods that reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and that meet other health challenges."
"New Jersey is the most densely-populated state in the nation, so we see firsthand and up close the acute need for programs that assist our farmers and protect wildlife habitat and open space," said Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), the third-ranking member of the House Resources Committee whose district includes nearly half of the federally-protected 1.1 million-acre Pinelands National Reserve, vast farmlands, over 35 miles of shoreline, barrier islands, three bays and estuaries. "Our bill offers ways to set aside space for wildlife, promote conservation and help reduce America's dependence on foreign oil."
"This legislation will help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to supply the nation with renewable, environmentally sustainable energy," said Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), co-chair of the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus. "By harvesting renewable sources like wind and energy, and increasing our investments in biofuels, we will revitalize rural economies, create jobs, and put our nation on a path to energy independence."
The lion's share of federal support for American farmers flows to less than 10% of the nation's agricultural producers. Farmers in 25 out of 435 congressional districts collected half of all farm spending during the last decade.
"Expanding conservation incentives will ensure that farm policy helps all farmers and ranchers regardless of how much land they farm, whether they grow traditional or specialty crops, or where they live," said Rep. Ed Case (D-HI), a member of the House Agriculture Committee. "All rural communities will share in the environmental benefits the programs in this bill make available. I especially welcome the assistance this bill provides in helping communities that are facing tremendous development pressures to protect prime agricultural land from urban encroachment, thereby maintaining a rural quality of life and open spaces."
"In the past, most farm spending has flowed to large producers of select crops," said Pearlie Reed, NRCS Chief from 1998 to 2002 and former State Conservationist for Maryland and California. "When we renew federal farm and food policies next year, Congress has a chance to ensure that more farm spending is linked to rising levels of environmental stewardship — helping more farmers and the environment."
"Farmers produce far more than food, fuel and fiber," said Paul Johnson, NRCS Chief from 1993 to 1997, an Iowa farmer and former Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from 1999 to 2000. "Farmers can also produce clean water, clean air, and habitat for wildlife. The Healthy Farms bill introduced today will help reward farmers when they take steps to protect and restore the foundations of our environment."
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