Cornyn: Final Farm Bill Good For Texas Agriculture Community

Press Release

Cornyn: Final Farm Bill Good For Texas Agriculture Community
Says Texas Farmers & Ranchers Will Benefit from Carefully-Crafted Compromise

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn expressed his support today for final Senate passage of The Food and Energy Security Act of 2007, H.R. 2419, more popularly known as the "Farm Bill." With today's approval vote by the Senate, and yesterday's passage of this bill in the House, the legislation will now be sent to the President's desk.

"Passage of this bill is an important and long-overdue step for Texas farmers and ranchers, providing them a stable policy moving forward. It's not perfect but it represents a carefully-crafted compromise that will protect Texas agriculture, including family farms, strengthen key nutrition programs, and fight childhood obesity.

"One in every seven Texans can trace their employment to agriculture. In rural Texas, agriculture is the engine that drives much of the economy so this bill will also help protect and expand Texas jobs.

"I met frequently with farm and ranch leaders in Texas as this bill was being written, and on balance, they will be helped with passage of this legislation. I'm particularly pleased that we were successful in excluding burdensome livestock ownership regulations. Texas provides proof that a free market, not government mandates, is the best path to success for the cattle and beef industries.

"There are extraneous spending provisions in this legislation that I would have liked to see excluded, but overall, this is a good bill for Texas. It provides our farmers and ranchers with the support they need and will ultimately benefit consumers, particularly as working families struggle with rising food prices. I hope the President will sign it into law quickly."

In addition to a number of key programs in the bill that will benefit Texas, Sen. Cornyn was also successful in adding two key amendments to the farm bill. They are as follows:

* Sen. Cornyn secured an amendment to ensure that taxpayers do not pay for natural disasters twice. The Senate Farm Bill establishes, for the first time, a standing trust fund to respond to weather-related disasters that are not covered by existing law. However, as written, the farm bill did not provide enough assurance that Congress would not double-bill taxpayers for disasters that would already be covered by the new trust fund.
* Sen. Cornyn secured an amendment to combat childhood obesity through food stamps—the largest federal nutrition program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to offer grants to state and local governments and non-governmental organizations to develop ways to fight obesity among all food stamp recipients. Sen. Cornyn amended the bill to make sure grants are available to prioritize the fight against obesity in children.

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