DeLauro Prioritizes Needs of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in Comprehensive Farm Legislation

Press Release

DeLauro Prioritizes Needs of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in Comprehensive Farm Legislation

With Congress set to craft a farm bill later this year, Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3), chairman of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, unveiled comprehensive legislation - the Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act - aimed at ensuring the needs of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are prioritized during the upcoming debate. The legislation focuses on the unique economic and environmental challenges facing the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, and helps provide adequate food assistance and healthy food choices. Joining DeLauro in introducing the bipartisan legislation is Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (MD-1).

"Congress will be crafting a farm bill this year and we have a real opportunity to influence the debate to the benefit of farmers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. For far too long these regions have been under represented in the Farm Bill, even though agriculture in the regions contribute $15 billion to the economy," stated DeLauro. "That is why I am introducing this legislation - a bill that outlines the important issues to these regions, such as nutrition, conservation, and specialty crops - and ensures they are given the weight they deserve in the upcoming farm bill debate."

"This is consensus legislation - a comprehensive approach. Not everyone may agree with all of its provisions, but we worked on this for many months in a bipartisan way and have succeeded in bringing sometimes divergent opinions together around the common interests."

Current farm bill programs favor farms of a type and scale not found in the region, leaving an overwhelming majority of Northeast/Mid-Atlantic farmers ineligible for federal subsidies. Compared to some states, where commodity payments top fifteen cents for every dollar in farm sales, the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region receives less than two cents per dollar of sales. This problem is not unique to the region. Many other states' needs are not being met—areas with diversified agriculture, rapid development, significant urban areas, and increasing environmental pressure.

On discussing the importance of this legislation, DeLauro commented, "It is important that the next farm bill address the unique economic and environmental challenges facing the Northeast, and help provide adequate food assistance and healthy food choices. A farm bill that serves diverse interests and applies federal programs more equitably will not only better serve farmers and consumers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, but across the United States as well."

This comprehensive bill attempts to address unmet needs in farm and food policy and is the result of an extensive grassroots effort involving State Secretaries of Agriculture along with farm, livestock, rural development, specialty crop, conservation, anti-hunger, public health, forestry and many other groups involved in farm policy.

The legislation would:

* Improve the food stamp program by stopping the erosion of food stamp benefits and streamlining the application process;
* Expand programs that facilitate consumer access to healthy foods and promote specialty crops at the local and regional levels;
* Expand fruit and vegetable programs to schools nationwide and allows for geographic preferences in food purchasing programs;
* Provide states with a significant sources of funding for programs and projects that reflect the diversity and needs of each state's agricultural sector-programs;
* Improve the operation of working lands conservation programs and increase access for producers by recognizing the unique characteristics of their farming operations in formula allocations and funding priorities;
* Expand a state's ability to access and develop many different sources of renewable energy produced by agricultural operations and improves on-farm energy efficiency;
* Ensure that dairy programs reflect the unique needs of various regions; and
* Create a new national organic certification and transition program, and promotes research into invasive species

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