New Farm Bill Includes McIntyre's Economic Development Commission

Press Release

New Farm Bill Includes McIntyre's Economic Development Commission

A new economic development commission to help with job creation authored by U.S. Representative Mike McIntyre is poised to pass in the landmark new Farm Bill. The Farm Bill provides a vital safety net for our farmers will stimulating the economy of rural America and providing much needed nutrition assistance to families across the country. The Southeast Crescent Authority, legislation that McIntyre authored, will help with jobs, transportation, business development, and infrastructure.

In addition, a new program to help small businesses employing less than ten people, called the Rural Entrepreneur and Microenterprise Assistance Loan Program, is also included. This program was proposed by the Rural Development Subcommittee which McIntyre chairs.

"The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act," as the bill is titled, makes historic investments in alternative energy, places a special focus on fruits and vegetables, expands conservation incentives, and funds basic infrastructure in our rural communities.

"The new Farm Bill is truly a victory for citizens, communities, rural America and our farmers," stated Congressman McIntyre. "The bill continues to ensure that the United States has the safest, most abundant food supply in the world by providing our farmers a much-needed safety net. Funding for Rural Development programs will help communities and businesses continue to thrive. And the authorization of the Southeast Crescent Authority, or SECA, will finally put a federal and regional focus on economic development at a time when it is most needed."

"We are thrilled to learn that these rural development programs have been included in the Farm Bill. Our rural communities are contending with long-term economic change, a series of natural disasters, major losses in employment, and two recessions in less than a decade. Investments in small business, infrastructure and value-added agriculture are exactly what we need to help rebuild the economic base in these communities. The Rural Center applauds Rep. Mike McIntyre for his leadership and looks forward to working with the N.C. Congressional Delegation and USDA to secure funds for the hard-hit areas of North Carolina," Billy Ray Hall, President of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center, Inc.

Some highlights of the Farm Bill include:

Authorization of the Southeast Crescent Authority to put a much needed federal focus on job creation;

$120 million in mandatory money for the water infrastructure backlog at USDA Rural Development;

$15 million in mandatory funding for the brand new Rural Entrepreneur and Microenterprise Assistance Loan Program;

Expansion of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program in our schools;

$1.1 billion to fund programs which will help the renewable energy industry invest in new technologies;

Farm program safety net extended and modernized;

Budgeted standing natural disaster assistance program for crops destroyed by natural disasters;

Conservation program spending increased by $6.6 billion.

Congressman McIntyre is Chairman of the House Rural Development Subcommittee and was a conferee on the House-Senate Farm Bill that ironed out the final details of this package.

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