May 14, 2008
Washington, D.C.—After months of negotiations with the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives passed the conference report from H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act, also known as the Farm Bill. Congressman Carney, who earned a 100% voting record with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, has taken an active role to protect the needs of Pennsylvania farmers and our rural communities.
“I strongly support this Farm Bill. It delivers critical results for our farmers and rural communities,” said Congressman Carney. “I am grateful to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Colin Peterson and his committee, particularly Committee Vice-Chairman Tim Holden. Their efforts ensured that Northeast and Central Pennsylvania farms will have sustainable and affordable agriculture policies in place for years to come. This legislation makes historic investments in conservation, nutrition and renewable energy while maintaining a strong safety net for America’s farmers.”
The Farm Bill includes a feed cost adjuster to allow the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) target price to fluctuate based on feed prices. “We need to protect our local dairy farmers,” said Carney. “The costs of production incurred by our dairy producers are drastically rising because of the high costs of feed and fuel, and I fought to include this provision as the bill went to conference with the House and Senate.” Carney took an active role, reaching out to both Republican and Democrats to relay the need for a feed cost adjuster to protect local dairy farmers.
“The Milk Income Loss Contract program is the most important dairy safety net in our region. Farmers don't set their own prices -- they must accept the price given to them. This is money well spent to ensure we have a safe, affordable, consistent supply of domestic milk,” said Carney. The payment rate is increased to 45% from the current 34%, and the cap is raised to 2.9 million pounds per year, rather than the current 2.4 million. The addition of a feed cost adjuster is critical because it may be the only way farmers will receive an MILC payment.
“Standing up for Pennsylvania farmers has been a critical priority in my work in Congress,” said Carney. “This Farm Bill looks to the future--by doubling funds for farm land preservation. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure that farming goes on for generations. Conservation programs help preserve farmland, they improve our water and air quality and enhance our soil.” The final version of the Farm Bill includes a $7.9 billion increase in conservation funding, which is a one-third increase over the 2002 Farm Bill.
“Overall, we believe the Farm Bill legislation meets the challenge of creating an adequate safety net for farmers, while funding programs to improve the environment and provide a reliable source of food for low-income Americans,” said PFB President Carl T. Shaffer. The Farm Bureau noted that approximately 75% of the funding designated for the Farm Bill goes toward food stamps, food banks, school snack and other nutrition programs that positively impact millions of Americans each year. In addition, despite increases in funding of $10.3 billion for nutrition programs and $7.9 billion for conservation programs, the Farm Bill does not include a tax increase. “Americans have access to the safest, most abundant and affordable food supply in the world, and the Farm Bill will help that continue,” added Shaffer.
Congressman Tim Holden, Vice-Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee said, "Congressman Carney really took a stand for Pennsylvania dairy farmers. He worked with our committee to make sure the MILC program takes the costs of production into account, which is critical with escalating feed and fuel costs. Congressman Carney was there each step of the way to keep this a bipartisan process that protects the needs of our rural communities."
The final version of the Farm Bill, as reported out of conference by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, has an array of bipartisan supporters, including the American Farmland Trust, the American Meat Institute, AARP, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc, Dairylea Cooperative Inc, National Conservation District Employees Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Market Coalition, National Grange, Pennsylvania Association of Regional Food Banks Inc, Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
The Farm Bill passed with a vote of 318 to 106.
