Senate Approves Farm Bill
Press Release
SENATE APPROVES FARM BILL
Dole fought for N.C. priorities in bill
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole today voted in support of the Farm Bill, which includes a number of initiatives and programs that benefit North Carolina farmers and rural communities. In addition, Dole pushed for measures to support healthy foods in schools and to help food banks, community kitchens and other organizations feed the hungry.
"While the Farm Bill isn't perfect, overall it is good for our state and our agriculture industry, which accounts for nearly one in five North Carolina jobs and is the backbone of our state's economy," said Dole. "I am pleased that this legislation not only contains provisions important to our farmers' livelihood, it also includes other measures that I advocated for that bolster rural communities and improve hunger and nutrition programs."
"I am pleased Congress has passed this Farm Bill," said N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "There are many good things in it that will benefit North Carolina farmers and agribusinesses, including specialty crop and disaster assistance, and funding for farmland conservation and protection. I appreciate Senator Dole's support of this important legislation."
"We applaud Senator Dole for her work on and support for the 2008 Farm Bill," said Larry Wooten, President of the North Carolina Farm Bureau. "This important bill has been a long time coming and it will ensure agriculture remains North Carolina's number one industry by helping all farm families manage the inherent risks of farming. It also invests in vital conservation, energy, nutrition and research initiatives, and for the first time, makes substantial strides to assist our state's fruit and vegetable producers."
Dole worked to include a provision establishing the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, which will provide funding to spur economic and infrastructure development in distressed areas in North Carolina and six other Southeastern states. Dole introduced legislation in the 109th and 110th Congresses to create the Commission, working closely with the University of North Carolina and Rep. Mike McIntyre, and the Farm Bill authorizes $150 million over five years for the program.
"Senator Dole and Congressman McIntyre worked exceptionally hard to make the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) a reality, and the University of North Carolina could not be more grateful," said Erskine Bowles, president of the University of North Carolina. "I am proud that the proposal to create the SCRC resulted from a study conducted by faculty and staff at East Carolina University. The Commission will provide much-needed support to the communities of our state that have been left out of the new economy. SCRC will undoubtedly promote economic development and provide countless opportunities to our graduates for many years to come."
Additionally, Dole successfully persuaded her colleagues to strike a provision called the packer-owner ban, which prohibits a packer from owning any livestock, including livestock under contract, and would have been damaging to North Carolina's livestock industry.
The Farm Bill also implements the Food Employment Empowerment and Development (FEED) program, which Dole worked on with Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.). This program helps fight hunger by combining food rescue with job training, thus teaching unemployed and homeless adults the skills needed to work in the food service industry.
Other North Carolina highlights that Dole pushed for in the Farm Bill include:
-A textile payment provision that strengthens the domestic textile industry while preventing farmers from being totally dependent on the export market;
-$1.25 billion for commodity purchases for food banks;
-Expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to all 50 states. This program provides nutritious snacks for school children, thereby encouraging healthy eating habits and combating childhood obesity;
-$33 million for the Famers Market Promotion Program and the expansion of food stamps for seniors at farmers markets;
-$466 million for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which provides funding to states to support research, marketing, education, pest and disease management, production and food safety related to specialty crops;
-$120 million in mandatory funding for Rural Development Water and Wastewater Loans and Grants to improve water infrastructure in high-need communities;
-$2.4 billion in additional funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a program that assists and rewards farmers for using sound environmental practices; and
-$500 million for the Farmland Protection Program, which will be used to purchase the development rights to keep farm land in agriculture.
Background
The Senate approved the Farm Bill in an 81-15 vote. It was passed by the House of Representatives yesterday and now must go to the president.
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