Stabenow Visits East Lansing, West Michigan to Discuss Passage of the 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act: What it Means for Michigan
Press Release
Stabenow Visits East Lansing, West Michigan to Discuss Passage of the 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act: What it Means for Michigan
Legislation Provides Funding for Nutrition, Food Assistance, Specialty Crops, Alternative Energy, and Conservation
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today visited Michigan State University and May Farms in Sparta to discuss how the 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (H.R. 2419), also known as the Farm Bill, will benefit Michigan. The legislation includes funding for nutrition and food assistance programs, makes critical investments in alternative energy, protects Michigan lakes and waterways, and supports growers of specialty crops. The House and Senate passed the Farm Bill last week, providing a veto-proof majority. The Farm Bill contains essential provisions such as the Stabenow-authored Fruit and Vegetable Snack program, Buy American provision, and Great Lakes Basin provision.
"This important legislation goes a long way towards improving the health and well being of families across our state and our nation," said Stabenow. "From bringing healthier, American-grown food to our children and seniors, to supporting specialty crop growers who have been negatively affected by unfair trade practices, this legislation is a victory both for producers and consumers. It also helps us continue the progress we've made on alternative energy and preserves precious wildlife habitats."
As a member of the Farm Bill Conference Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee, Stabenow served as a leading voice for Michigan throughout the crafting of this legislation. She has served on agricultural committees in all four legislative bodies in which she was a member, including the Michigan House, Michigan Senate, U.S. House and currently, the U.S. Senate. She is also the first Senator from Michigan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in over 40 years.
Phil Korson, President of the Cherry Marketing Institute stated, "Thanks to the leadership of Senator Stabenow, the historic specialty crop title in the Farm Bill offers meaningful advances for Michigan, its cherry producers and processors and the state agricultural economy. The new programs create support, new avenues for research, new opportunities for value added products and advances to help producers."
Dr. Jeff Armstrong, Dean, MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and co-chair of CREATE-21 stated, "For the past two years, MSU has been an outstanding partner to Senator Stabenow and supported efforts to create a Farm Bill research title that works for Michigan and the country. From the outset, Senator Stabenow has been a strong advocate, and her excellent work on the conference committee was critical to the crafting and passage of this legislation."
Don Sklarczyk, Michigan potato grower and former President of the Potato Growers of Michigan and of the National Potato Council stated, "Specialty crop producers are indebted to Senator Stabenow for her commitment to our industries. Her successful efforts on the Farm Bill clearly demonstrate her effectiveness in Washington and her understanding of the importance of agriculture to our nation."
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