For the first time, the Senate Farm Bill will recognize fruits and vegetables, which make up more than half of Michigan's agricultural income.
From the Senator's office-
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced that the Senate Committee on Agriculture has, for the first time, recognized the importance of fruits and vegetables by creating a new specialty crops subtitle and has approved over $3 billion to fund specialty crops provisions.
Specialty crops- the fruits, vegetables and other crops that keep America healthy- make up half of the nation's agricultural cash receipts, but have traditionally received little recognition in previous farm bills. This legislation is of particular importance to Michigan, which grows more diverse crops than any other state except California and is a national leader in the production of numerous specialty crops, including blueberries, apples, cherries, asparagus, and celery.
And that is not all this bill will do- there are provisions for alternative energy, childhood and seniors nutrition, conservation, farmers' markets, organic research, disaster relief and much more. Read the release for the whole breakdown.
more over the flip...
The Senate Farm Bill also places a high priority on alternative energy, conservation, rural development and nutrition policies. From provisions to assist in the research and production of cellulosic ethanol to loans to encourage the building of biofuel refineries, the Farm Bill will serve to assist Michigan as the state continues to emerge as a leader in alternative fuel production.
Also included are numerous provisions encouraging environmental stewardship, investing in our rural communities, and improving our nutrition programs to provide healthier alternatives to those in need. Stabenow provisions in the bill include reauthorization of a program to protect the Great Lakes by controlling soil erosion and a "Buy American" provision directing the United States Department of Agriculture to enforce current law, which states that all federal funds and all purchases for use in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs must be from American farmers and growers.
Even those who are normally against farm subsidies are applauding this bill.
Stabenow has pushed for months for the provisions, lining up senators to back her plan to shift agriculture policy away from the traditional commodity crops -- wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton and rice -- that still get the most federal funding. She got praise on Thursday from Ken Cook of the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that opposes most federal farm subsidies and pushed for more fruit and vegetable programs.
"Debbie Stabenow is now a key leader on agriculture policy," Cook said. "She really did carve this out and put pressure on the committee to accommodate these growers."
But trouble looms in the form of Dick Lugar.
Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the committee, plans to introduce an amendment that would sharply curtail commodity subsidies when the bill reaches the Senate floor, likely the week of Nov. 5.
First America's kids, now America's farmers. You get the impression that the Republicans just don't want to spend any money helping the people of this country at all.
If all goes well, this could be a big win for Michigan. Keep your fingers crossed.