Agriculture
As a former state legislator and friend once told me, "Mark, if you eat, you're in agriculture." Truer words were never spoken, and I have always kept them in mind. From the orchards and open ranges on the Western Slope to the dairies, farms and ranches on the Eastern Plains our farms and ranches are a critical part of Colorado's economy and identity. Coloradans in our rural communities have a keen interest in federal policies that affect the development of rural towns and support the work of Colorado’s farmers and ranchers. Agriculture policy not only affects what we eat, it also protects against the inherent risk that producers assume as they operate at the will of Mother Nature – and that helps ensure the vibrancy of rural America.
The 2012 Farm Bill
The primary way the U.S. Congress sets agriculture policy is through what is commonly known as the Farm Bill. This legislation guides federal nutrition programs, rural development, conservation, forestry management, agricultural research and other efforts that encourage good stewardship of important natural resources.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is charged with producing the 2012 Farm Bill to fund many important programs that will expire on September 30, 2012. While we need to look for ways to responsibly trim unnecessary government spending, I strongly believe we can do so in a way that supports the valuable programs that protect the viability of American farming. We must find a way to strengthen rural communities and provide a robust system to support farmers and ranchers. For more information on the 2012 Farm Bill, I encourage you to visit the Senate Agriculture Committee’s website at www.agriculture.senate.gov.
Renewable Energy and Agriculture
Bioenergy developed from farm waste and other sources, along with energy harnessed from the wind, hold exceptional promise for farmers and ranchers looking for potential new sources of income. While many people will benefit indirectly from the clean air, energy security, and economic growth generated by wind power development and bioenergy, farmers can benefit directly. Renewable energy production can provide farmers with an important economic boost, helping them keep their land in agriculture while contributing to America’s energy independence.
Conservation and Keeping Farm Land in Agriculture
As chairman of the U.S. Senate National Parks Subcommittee and as an avid outdoorsman, I am also keenly aware of the importance of land conservation in agriculture and the value of conservation programs administered by the USDA to farmers and ranchers. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency currently administer over 20 voluntary programs and subprograms to farmers and ranchers who want to implement conservation practices on their agricultural land. These programs provide incentives and technical assistance for conservation practices that not only help farmers produce better yields and improve farm income, but also enhance habitat for wildlife, protect wetlands and critical water resources, help to improve soil management and reduce the environmental impact of on-farm activities. It is important that we look for ways to make these programs work better for farmers and ranchers, while making certain they continue to serve a valuable purpose in fostering strong stewardship of the land.
Press Coverage:
- No limit on amount of potatoes
Eric Brown, The Greeley Tribune - First Lady says eat potatoes for lunch
Lauren Krizansky, Valley Courier - An epidemic searching for a cure: No easy solutions for obesity
Editorial, The Daily Camera - SLV growers glad about school lunch reprieve
Matt Hildner, The Pueblo Chieftain
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Ensuring School Lunch Rules are Flexible and Balanced
Encouraging kids to get active and make healthy eating choices should be priorities as we combat the growing child obesity problem, which is why I have backed legislation, such as the Healthy Kids from Day One Act, to promote physical activity and healthy eating. I led a bipartisan effort to prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture from imposing overly rigid restrictions on the vegetables that schools can serve at meals. School lunch providers in Colorado told me that this restriction will result in significant challenges for food service operations through higher costs, reduced flexibility and fewer students participating in school meal programs. The law, signed on Nov. 18, 2011, now allows schools working within already tight budgets the flexibility to provide nutritious meals – including starchy vegetables like peas, corn and potatoes that are cooked in a healthy way – and teaching kids healthy eating choices.
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Protecting Conservation Programs in Agriculture
I have been working to protect conservation program in the Farm Bill to ensure farmers and ranchers can meet the growing demand for food, fiber and fuel while remaining good stewards of our land. On-farm conservation techniques can pay dividends by using our precious water resources more efficiently, improving a farmer's bottom line through a reduction in fertilizer use, or improving tilling or grazing practices to reduce erosion and environmental impacts. This is why, in May 2011, I urged Senate appropriators and agriculture committee leadership to recognize express the importance of conservation programming and I will continue to let Washington know that Coloradans depend on the resources these programs protect.
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Ruedi Reservoir Releases for Recovery of Endangered Fish
I introduced legislation (S.3387) to authorize the release of water from Ruedi Reservoir, on the Fryingpan River near Aspen, for the purposes of recovering four endangered fish species in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The water releases authorized in my bill will keep approximately 1,800 water projects on the Colorado River, including the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project and Colorado-Big Thompson Project, in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. These releases represent the West Slope's contribution of water for endangered fish recovery, but the bill does not take effect until East Slope water users have committed their corresponding share. This bill has the consensus support of Colorado River water users on both sides of the Continental Divide.
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Freeing up credit for farmers impacted by the closure of New Frontier
I have appealed to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on several occasions since the bank's closure in 2009, and successfully requested the transfer of funds to increase the pool of money available for Farm Service Agency direct operating loans by $110 million. Legislatively, I also urged my colleagues to provide adequate funding for the USDA's farm loan programs in the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-32) and in the Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-80). These efforts allowed the USDA to service backlogged qualifying loan requests and prepare to meet the lending needs of Colorado agriculture in the new fiscal year.
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Expanding opportunities for Colorado dairy farmers
Colorado's dairy farmers have been particularly hard hit by the closure of New Frontier as well as by low commodity prices brought on, in part, by the economic recession. In order to help farmers weather the downturn, I successfully encouraged the Secretary to implement the Dairy Export Incentive Program to help expand market opportunities for American dairy products abroad.