Central Valley Business Times - Farm Bill Seen as Benefiting Central Valley

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Some of the specialty crops the Central Valley grows in abundance, like almonds, asparagus, and grapes, would get various levels of help under the Farm Bill approved Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representative.

The bill now goes to the Senate, where approval is expected.

President George W. Bush has vowed to veto it as soon as it reaches his desk.

The House vote was 318-106, enough to override a veto.

"This Farm Bill invests in California's priorities by ensuring that for the first time ever there are funds to support specialty crop research and expand specialty crop markets," says U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, who district includes a portion of the Central Valley.

"The bill implements needed reforms to commodity and other payment programs cutting direct farm payments as well as payments to crop insurers making windfall profits," he says.

"California agriculture is finally getting the respect and treatment it deserves," says U.S. Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture and a member of the conference committee that hammered out the bill's details.

The bill guarantees a historic $1.3 billion in funding for fruit and vegetable programs, which have traditionally been ignored by farm programs. For the first time, the bill will offer support for specialty crop growers' research, pest management, trade promotion and marketing assistance needs. The bill also provides an additional $1 billion for schools to provide fresh fruits and vegetables.

To encourage conservation efforts, it boosts conservation programs that reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water and air quality, increase wildlife habitat and reduce damage caused by floods and other natural disasters by $7.9 billion.

The bill allocated $150 million for the Environmental Quality Improvement Program for air quality mitigation, which will help farmers comply with federal and local air pollution laws.

These funds are critical for farmers in the San Joaquin Valley which has some of the worst air in the nation and the toughest air quality laws, says Mr. Cardoza. The bill also contains important technical changes that will allow more California farmers to be eligible for authorized farming programs.

Nearly three-fourths of the Farm Bill, an additional $10.4 billion in new spending, goes to nutrition programs used by 38 million Americans. The legislation updates the food stamp program to reflect the current state of the economy.

Also, the Farm Bill will see the federal government spending $1 billion in renewable energy, focusing on moving beyond corn-based ethanol to the production and use of cellulosic biofuels.

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