| |
 |
| October 23rd, 2007 |
|
Media Contact(s): Jared Whitley 202-224-5251 |
|
Printable Version |
|
HATCH SUPPORTS A FRESH APPROACH TO FARM POLICY
Utah Farmers Should Be Eligible for the Same Benefits As Other Farmers, Senator Says |
| |
Washington – Today Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) announced his support for the Farm Ranch Equity Stewardship and Health Act of 2007 (FRESH Act), a measure proposed by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and others as an alternative to the Farm Bill currently before Congress. As the Senate begins consideration of future agriculture policy, Hatch believes the FRESH Act is better for both Utah and the nation as it would more fairly distribute federal support to all farmers.
“It is time for our nation to move beyond the stale farm policies of the past, which tend to focus on a few commodity crops,” Hatch said. “Congress needs to shape an agricultural policy for all farmers, giving them a strong safety net, building stronger rural communities, and providing more support for conservation programs.
Current and past farm programs focus on only a few crops, such as corn, wheat, rice, soy, and cotton, while leaving out other crops that are important to Utah, such as fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops. The FRESH Act would correct this to make all agricultural producers eligible for federal support and ensure that federal support programs would not be made to farmers already making a good profit.
“We need to protect farmers, regardless of what they grow or where they live,” Hatch said. “We’re proposing a smarter and more equitable way to support American farmers. Utah’s orchards should receive the same kind of protection as Iowa’s cornfields. We need to change the current policy where 6 percent of farms receive more than 70 percent of federal payments.”
The FRESH Act would establish a county-based revenue protection program to mitigate the damage of risks a farmer can’t anticipate, such as droughts or floods, but the program would not make payments when harvests and markets are strong. The FRESH Act would create Risk Management Accounts to replace the current program of direct payments, which are paid regardless of harvest or market conditions. Under current policy, large payments go to a subset of the largest producers even in times of profit.
“It doesn’t make sense to me that farm income in the U.S. is currently high, but we’re still paying billions of dollars to farmers of certain crops who are reaping record profits,” Hatch said. “It is irresponsible to continue to provide subsidies to farmers with the current formula, but provide little support in times of production losses. The current safety net is broken and we aim to fix it with the FRESH Act.”
The FRESH Act adds an additional $6 billion for important environmental and conservation programs that will provide significant environmental benefits in Utah and across the country. These programs encourage farmers and other private landowners to protect environmentally sensitive lands, prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, create wildlife habitats, and reduce greenhouse gasses. Private farm and forestlands would receive greater protection from suburban sprawl through increased funding for voluntary land preservation programs. The bill also expands agricultural markets and decreases oil dependency by dramatically increasing research and development efforts for cellulosic ethanol and other renewable fuels, and expanding clean renewable energy opportunities to rural areas.
View related PDF: FactSheetonFarmRanchEquityStewardshipandHealthFRESHActof2007.pdf (26.9 KBs)
|
| |
| ### |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
