Farm bill

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2008 –Department of Agriculture officials will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, July 22 on the establishment of the BioPreferred voluntary labeling program. This program will allow USDA to authorize manufacturers and vendors of qualifying biobased products to use a "USDA Certified Biobased Product" label.

The 2002 Farm Bill established a program for the procurement of biobased products by federal agencies and a voluntary program for labeling of biobased products, later named the BioPreferred Program. The 2008 Farm Bill continues and expands provisions related to the BioPreferred Program.    » read more »

June 2, 2008 -- With the summer harvest season right around the corner, and roadside produce stands popping up at country intersections across the state, the end of spring is a mouthwatering time to think about Michigan agriculture.

When, after months of delays, Congress recently passed the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the Farm Bill, the season was appropriate. This critical legislation – which was passed over a presidential veto – will offer a boost to the Michigan farmers who sell their produce locally and who send Michigan-grown agriculture across the country. The bill will also crack down on speculators who are driving high energy prices, and offer much-needed support for conservation, biofuels and nutrition programs.    » read more »

5/22/2008 -- "I was proud to stand with my Senate colleagues in overriding President Bush's veto of the Farm Bill by a vote of 82 to 13. This bill is now law, and will move us further down the path to energy independence, provide a safety net for family farmers, enhance nutrition programs, require Country-of-Origin labeling, and improve access to broadband in rural communities," said Senator Clinton.

Hillary Clinton: Photo by circulating (CC)    » read more »

Vote Preserves Chesapeake Bay Funding Bush Administration Labeled as "Ill-Considered"

May 21, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) released the following statement after the U.S. House voted today to override the President's veto of the Food and Energy Security Act (H.R. 2419), which includes $438 million in conservation funding for the Chesapeake Bay. In the President's veto statement, he singled out the funding for the Bay as "ill-considered." The Senate is expected to override the veto later this evening.    » read more »

May 21, 2008 -- “The President’s veto should not stand, and it will not stand.

“If President Bush is allowed to have his way, this veto would be a setback for farmers, for hard-pressed Americans trying to keep food on the table, for our promising organic farming sector, and for efforts to clean up Lake Champlain.

“The economy is sliding and more families are at the edge. This bill is a big boost for anti-hunger efforts like Food Stamps that will help families who are struggling the most. It will help keep public food shelves stocked in Vermont and other states.

“We have a strong, bipartisan majority behind us, and my sense is that Congress will override this veto and the Farm Bill will become law before the week is out.”    » read more »

5/15/2008 -- Statement of NCTA President & CEO Kyle McSlarrow, National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA):

“We applaud the leadership of Senators Harkin and Chambliss and Representatives Peterson and Goodlatte for their hard work to gain passage of the 2008 Farm Bill. This legislation sharpens the focus of the Rural Utilities Service’s Broadband Loan Program by limiting loans in areas where competition already exists, and targeting loans to areas without widespread access to broadband service. The 2008 Farm Bill represents a strong step in ensuring that government broadband deployment programs give the highest priority to areas that do not yet have access to broadband service.”    » read more »

May 15, 2008 -- Chicago, IL -- Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement in response to the passage of the Senate Farm Bill.

"I applaud the Senate's passage today of the Farm Bill, which will provide America's hard-working farmers and ranchers with more support and more predictability."

"The bill places greater resources into renewable energy and conservation. And, during this time of rising food prices, the Farm Bill provides an additional $10 billion for critical nutrition programs. I am also pleased that the bill includes my proposal to help thousands of African-American farmers get their discrimination claims reviewed under the Pigford settlement."    » read more »