Congressman Lincoln Davis Votes for Historic Farm Bill May 14, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the conference report of the five-year reauthorization of agricultural policy, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill by a vote of 318 to 106.

"The Farm Bill encompasses much more than the name suggests," said Davis, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. "It is an investment in our farmers, rural infrastructure and home-grown renewable energy, and is the driving force behind keeping an affordable and abundant food supply for all Americans."

This legislation is the product of months of negotiation between conferees in the House and Senate. The final product includes a tremendous investment in rural America and food safety. The bill includes a safety net for struggling farmers, as well as comprehensive disaster assistance reform to make a permanent, paid for program for farmers affected by natural disasters.

In addition, this year's Farm Bill provides significant funding for food programs that go to benefit children and underserved communities. In fact, nearly three-fourths of the Farm Bill, or roughly $10 billion in new spending, goes to nutrition programs that will help 38 million American families put healthy food on their tables. The bill also amends the food stamp program to help nearly 11 million people by 2012, nearly three quarters of which go to homes with children.

This Conference Report also works to address America's energy crisis. The Farm Bill invests $1 billion in renewable energy focusing on new technologies and new sources, including $320 million in loan guarantees for biorefineries that produce advanced biofuels and a new program to encourage the production of new biomass for cellulosic ethanol and other energy production. This not only provides incentive for non corn-based, at a time of rising food prices across the globe, but also takes great strides towards reducing our dependence on foreign oil.