Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto on a bill that increases spending on certain forms of agricultural assistance, extends selected agricultural assistance programs until 2012, provides funding for the purchase of certain foods for domestic nutrition programs, lowers income tax credits for ethanol producers, and makes other agriculture-related changes.

Highlights:

• Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).

• Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).

• Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202). 

• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012, and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year, for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).

• Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).

• Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).

• Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).

• Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).

• Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).

• Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).

• Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).

• Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).

• Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).

• Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).

• Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).

• Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).

• Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).

NOTE: Due to a clerical error, this bill was sent to the President without Title III (concerning trade), and therefore, the veto override votes by the House and Senate are on the bill without this title. On 5/22/2008 the House passed H.R. 6124, a new bill containing 15 farm bill titles.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto on a bill that increases spending on certain forms of agricultural assistance, extends selected agricultural assistance programs until 2012, provides funding for the purchase of certain foods for domestic nutrition programs, lowers income tax credits for ethanol producers, and makes other agriculture-related changes.

Highlights:

• Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).

• Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).

• Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202). 

• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012, and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year, for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).

• Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).

• Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).

• Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).

• Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).

• Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).

• Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).

• Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).

• Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).

• Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).

• Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).

• Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).

• Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).

• Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).

NOTE: Due to a clerical error, this bill was sent to the President without Title III (concerning trade), and therefore, the veto override votes by the House and Senate are on the bill without this title. On 5/22/2008 the House passed H.R. 6124, a new bill containing 15 farm bill titles.

Full Bill Text

Vetoed by President George Bush

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that increases spending on certain forms of agricultural assistance, extends selected agricultural assistance programs until 2012, provides funding for the purchase of certain foods for domestic nutrition programs, lowers income tax credits for ethanol producers, and makes other agriculture-related changes.

Highlights:

• Grants $37 million in technical assistance to specialty crop producers (Sec. 3203).

• Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).

• Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).

• Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202). 

• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012 (and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year) for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).

• Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).

• Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).

• Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).

• Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).

• Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).

• Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).

• Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).

• Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).

• Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).

• Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).

• Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).

• Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).

• Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).

• Eliminates priority status for food aid for countries that demonstrate the potential to become markets for competitively priced U.S. agricultural commodities (Sec. 3005).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that increases spending on certain forms of agricultural assistance, extends selected agricultural assistance programs until 2012, provides funding for the purchase of certain foods for domestic nutrition programs, lowers income tax credits for ethanol producers, and makes other agriculture-related changes.

Highlights:

• Grants $37 million in technical assistance to specialty crop producers (Sec. 3203).

• Prohibits persons with adjusted gross non-farm income of over $500,000 or adjusted gross farm income of over $750,000 from receiving certain types of subsidies (Sec. 1604).

• Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects through 2012 (Sec. 4406).

• Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 19 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats, and soybeans (Sec. 1202). 

• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million during 2008-2012 (and $206 million each subsequent fiscal year) for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, and nuts for nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs and an additional $250 million during 2008-2012 for fruits and vegetables for schools (Sec. 4404).

• Establishes a mandatory labeling of countries of origin for goat meat, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and changes the designation criteria for United States country of origin labeling and allows multiple countries to be listed on labels for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat (Sec. 11002).

• Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1501).

• Extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program through 2012 (Secs. 1503, 1505, 1507).

• Lowers the income tax credit for ethanol producers during 2009 and 2010 for a blender amount from 51 cents to 45 cents and for a low-proof blender amount from 37.78 cents to 33.33 cents (Sec. 15331).

• Extends the alcohol fuels credit to cellulosic biofuel (Sec. 15321).

• Establishes the Biomass Research and Development Initiative to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biofuels and biobased products (Sec. 9001).

• Provides assistance for landowners who have lost non-industrial private forestland due to wildfires, hurricanes, excessive winds, drought, ice storms, blizzards, or floods (Sec. 8203).

• Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1401).

• Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1605).

• Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through the 2012 fiscal year (Secs. 2101, 2203).

• Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 and 4115).

• Requires pilot programs to reduce obesity in the United States (Sec. 4141).

• Authorizes $25 million for each fiscal year from 2008 through 2012 for loans to broadband internet service providers in rural areas that currently have two or fewer providers in the area and have at least 25 percent of the area serviced by not more than one provider (Sec. 6110).

• Eliminates priority status for food aid for countries that demonstrate the potential to become markets for competitively priced U.S. agricultural commodities (Sec. 3005).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reauthorizes farm assistance and related programs until 2012, makes changes to the amounts and types of assistance available, extends assistance to farmers of specialty crops, provides tax credits for certain renewable fuel and energy development, establishes and extends certain conservation programs, and expands benefits of the food stamp program.

Highlights:

• Creates a tax penalty for transactions designed exclusively to avoid federal tax (Sec. 12522).

• Lowers an income tax credit for ethanol blenders from 51 cents to 46 cents after the sale of 7.5 billion gallons (Sec. 12315).

• Establishes the Agriculture Disaster Relief Trust Fund to provide disaster assistance for crop losses (Sec. 12101).

• Ends assistance by the year 2010 for persons who have an average adjusted gross income of $750,000 or more and earn less than two-thirds of their average adjusted gross income from farming, ranching, or foresting (Sec. 1704).

• Reauthorizes the Federal Food and Nutrition Program, the Commodity Distribution Program, and the Nutrition Information and Awareness Pilot Program (Secs. 4801 - 4803).

• Extends the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program through 2012 (Secs. 2311 & 2321).

• Establishes programs to provide assistance for improving land for wildlife and forests (Secs. 2313 & 2331).

• Establishes a mandatory labeling of country of origin on meats (Sec. 10003).

• Increases loan rates for sugar producers (Sec. 1501).

• Requires the Department of Agriculture to purchase certain dairy products to support their prices, extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program and the Dairy Indemnity Program, and extends the Dairy Promotion and Research Program (Secs. 1601 & 1603).

• Provides a tax credit for energy generated from wind (Sec. 12301).

• Expands and extends programs that provide credits for renewable fuel production (Secs. 12311 - 12314).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends agricultural program deadlines until 2012, appropriates funds for the development of biofuel studies and increases nutrition in domestic food assistance programs.

Highlights:

• Grants $38 million in technical assistance to specialty crop producers (Sec. 3007).

• Allocates $1 million each year from 2008-2012 for loans to broadband internet providers in rural areas that currently have fewer than two providers in the area (Sec. 6023).

• Allows the Secretary of Agriculture to spend $991 million for the purchase of fruits, vegetables and nuts to provide nutritious foods in domestic nutrition assistance programs (Sec. 10103).

• Requires that the amount of taxes on payments to a subsidiary that would be subjected to a withholding tax cannot be less than the tax amount that would be owed had the payments been made directly to the foreign parent corporation (Sec. 12001).

• Establishes a table of market assistance loan rates for 20 commodities including corn, wheat, barley, oats and soybeans (Sec. 1202).

• Offers incentive payments for the production of oil seeds that reduce the need for hydrogenated oil (Sec. 1211).

• Supports the price of dairy products by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to buy cheddar cheese, butter and nonfat dry milk made from milk produced in the United States (Sec. 1401)

• Renames the Food Stamp Program to the "Secure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" and replaces coupons used for the Food Stamp Program with electronic benefit transfer cards (EBTs) which can be used at any retail food store (Secs. 4001 & 4011)

• Develops the "Initiative to Address Obesity Among Low-Income Americans" by providing $10 million a year until 2012 to implement programs designed to lower the obesity rate in the United States (Sec. 4023).

• Allocates $125 million for the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for public schools, provided that the funding is used to buy locally grown produce wherever possible as part of the "Buy American" statutes (Sec. 4301).

• Provides grants up to $50,000 for landowners who have lost private forest land due to wildfires, hurricanes, drought, windstorms, insect and disease, ice storms or invasive species to help with reforestation (Sec. 8102).

• Provides $420 million for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative, to award grants and financial assistance for the research of biobased fuels and products (Sec. 9006).

• Grants $20 million to universities for studying the use of sweet sorghum and switchgrass as alternatives to corn in the production of ethanol fuel (Sec. 9020).

• Appropriates $50 million for grants of up to $10,000 a year for farmers who convert their farms into organic farms (Sec. 10303).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text