2007 Farm Bill Proposals Revealed
The 2007 farm bill proposals would spend around US $10 billion less than 2002 farm bill spending during the past five years, not including ad-hoc disaster assistance.
Some of the included proposals are*:
- Reconstruct conservation programs through consolidation, simplification, and increased funding of US $7.8 billion. Create a new Environmental Quality Incentives Program and a Regional Water Enhancement Program.
- Add US $1.6 billion in new funding for cellulosic ethanol research, development and production, which will support guaranteed loans of US $2.1 billion. Also includes US $500 million for bio-energy and bio-based product research.
- Dedicate nearly US $5 billion to increased nutrition in food assistance programs, (including school meals) by purchasing fresh produce and funding specialty crop research, as well as fighting trade barriers and expanding export markets
- Increase direct payments for starting farmers and ranchers and providing more elasticity for down payment, land purchase and farm operating loans. Commitment of US$250 million will also reserve a percentage of conservation funds.
- Reservation of this percentage of conservation assistance funds will also aid SDA farmers and ranchers by introducing more open access to down payment, land purchasing and farm operating loans
- Improve disaster relief and establish crop insurance gap coverage, linking crop insurance participation to farm program participation, and creating a new program for emergency landscape restoration
- Improve international involvement in world trade standard-setting bodies and expanding exports, fighting trade barriers, and committing up to US $400 million to trade efforts.
- Revamp the Food Stamp Program; improve accessibility for recipients, States, the working poor; and strengthen program integrity
*All costs reflect ten year totals
All proposals can be viewed at www.usda.gov/farmbill.