Congressman Case Cointroduces National Legislation to Save Farmland and Boost Ag-Based Renewable Energy

Congressman Case Cointroduces National Legislation to Save Farmland and Boost Ag-Based Renewable Energy

Washington, DC - Environmental Defense and Hawaii farmers and ranchers today praised the introduction of landmark legislation, co-introduced by U.S. Congressman Ed Case, to promote energy development on farms, ranches and forest lands; to expand healthy food choices; to protect farmland from development; and to reward good stewardship of farms and forest lands. The bipartisan legislation also would 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-Wis.) and has 26 cosponsors, including two members of the House Agriculture Committee, U.S. Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) and Ben Chandler (D-Ky.); the chairman of the House Science Committee, U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R- N.Y.); and the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.). The other cosponsors are: U.S. Reps. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.), Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Jeb Bradley (R-N.H.), James T. Walsh (R-N.Y.), Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sam Farr (D-Ca.), Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), Grace Napolitano (D-Ca.), Ellen Tauscher (D-Ca.), Tom Allen (D-Maine), Charles Bass (R- N.H.), Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.) and James Oberstar (D-Mich.).

"Renewable energy, strengthening agriculture, and good stewardship and preservation of agricultural have long been high priorities of mine," said Congressman Case, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. "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 Case. "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."

A letter to Case from J. Scott Meidell of Haleakala Ranch Company, Franz Weber of the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association, Stephanie Whalen of the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Amber Starr of Hana Ranch, and private consultant Kimberly Uyehara said: "This bill would provide more assistance to help farmers manage working lands, expand funding for easements to protect ranchland and farmland, expand support to get more local produce into schools, and promote greater use and production of renewable energy on Hawaii farms and ranches. The bill waives an income limitation that has prevented many Hawaii farmers and ranchers from participating in conservation programs. It also expands the minimum conservation funding Hawaii would receive from $12 million to $20 million."

Currently, the lion's share of federal support for American farmers flows to less than 10 percent of the nation's agricultural producers. Farmers in 25 out of 435 congressional districts collected half of all farm spending during the last decade.

The Healthy Farms, Foods and Fuels Act will:

* Increase from $200 million to $2 billion annual loan guarantees for renewable energy development on farms and forest lands.

· 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, ranchers and forest land owners 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.

"Energy, health and the environment should be the central focus of our federal farm and food policies when Congress renews federal farm and food legislation next year," said Scott Faber, farm policy campaign director of Environmental Defense, a national environmental organization. "Congressman Case is seizing the opportunity to boost energy production on our farms, to give consumers more healthy food choices, and to reward more farmers and forest landowners when they take steps to meet our environmental challenges."

Three former chiefs of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) also praised the introduction today 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 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."

"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."

http://wwwc.house.gov/case/press_releases/2006/2006-35.html