Agriculture

Agriculture is a vital part of our state's economy and I am dedicated to securing a better future for Delaware's hard-working farmers.

The 2008 Farm Bill — Every few years, federal farm, agriculture, and food assistance laws are reauthorized through a large, multi-year "farm bill." Throughout the last Congress, my colleagues and I worked to craft an improved farm bill to better address our nation's agricultural needs. The 2008 farm bill - officially the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act - contained numerous provisions to support Delaware's farmers, and preserve valuable land and natural resources.

Supporting Specialty Crops and Expanding Access to Healthy Foods — One key improvement I helped secure in the farm bill was a specialty crop provision. Traditionally, crops like corn, cotton, wheat, soy receive most of the federal subsidies in the farm bill. Unfortunately, in previous farm bills, we have dramatically underfunded specialty crops, organic foods and community food programs. This is a problem because as food prices rise, the most nutritious foods - like fresh fruits and vegetables - become less affordable for American families.

Fortunately, the new farm bill provided $3 billion reserved for specialty crops, organic foods and healthy community food initiatives. Community food programs help ensure that our children, our low-income families and our senior citizens have access to nutritious fruits and vegetables Also, Delaware growers of nursery crops, watermelons, potatoes, beans, strawberries, spinach, and cantaloupes will benefit from these important specialty crop programs.

Land Conservation and Disaster Relief — With a $7.9 billion increase in overall conservation funding, the 2008 farm bill also provided help for land conservation and environmental stewardship. The revamped Conservation Stewardship Program incentivizes new conservation and rewards farmers who address resource concerns in their communities. The program will enroll more than 100 million acres by 2017.

As demand and production increase, the need for effective conservation programs also grows. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program has seen a $3.4 billion increase in its budget authority over the next 10 years. It will also be easier for us to protect our wetlands, as the Wetlands Reserve Program has been authorized to enroll 1.2 million acres over the next five years.

A significant new provision of the 2008 farm bill is the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund and the Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Program. These comprehensive programs will provide instantaneous relief to Delaware's farmers, livestock and property if they suffer losses in a crippling natural disaster.

Protecting Our Watershed — The valuable Chesapeake Bay Watershed includes much of Delaware. The 2008 farm bill recognizes Delaware, as well as New York and West Virginia, as key "headwater states" for the Chesapeake region, an advantageous designation that was previously limited to Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. This change made farmers in Delaware eligible to receive special funding set aside specifically for conservation of the Chesapeake region.

The farm bill also provides unprecedented flexibility for Chesapeake Bay Watershed conservation funding to address its unique environmental and conservation needs, with $188 million in mandatory funding This will keep farmers farming and protect them from having to sell off farmland for commercial development.

Applying New Technologies — The creation and application of new farm technologies is vital to the survival and growth of Delaware's farming economy. With recent advances in the field of biotechnology, we can increase the number of products that can be profitably derived from the crops grown in our state. Advanced biofuels have greater energy content than corn ethanol, require less fossil fuels to formulate, and are critical to reducing our dependence on foreign oil and combating climate change. These are the technologies that will drive a sustainable energy future based on clean, domestic energy sources, some of which are being grown and developed in Delaware. I will continue working to support clean fuel technologies that make sense for America.

Support for Delaware Farmers — We must also work to protect Delaware from the damaging effects of crop loss. By promoting agricultural research, we can prevent disease and infestation and improve the quality of the crops that we produce.

This past year was difficult for Delaware's farmers, who have persevered under a serious economic downturn. The agricultural community is a critical part of Delaware's economy, and we must make sure that our farmers receive needed financial assistance during difficult times.

Finally, we need to continue our policies of land conservation, while taking steps to preserve the agricultural way of life. As the Senate continues to debate important issues that impact Delaware's farming communities, please know that I will make every effort to protect this vital part of our state's economy.