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JOHANNS UNVEILS 2007 FARM BILL PROPOSALS
Date: June 6, 2006
Release No. 0020.07
Delaware Contact: Stuart A. Lee
Phone: 302.678.4179
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2007 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today unveiled
the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2007 farm bill proposals. The more than 65
proposals correspond to the 2002 farm bill titles with additional special focus
areas, including specialty crops, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially
disadvantaged producers.
"We listened closely to producers and stakeholders all across the country and
took a reform-minded and fiscally responsible approach to making farm policy
more equitable, predictable and protected from challenge," said Johanns. "We
started with the 2002 farm bill and propose to improve it by bolstering support
for emerging priorities and focusing on a market-oriented approach."
USDA began preparations for the 2007 farm bill in 2005 by conducting 52 Farm
Bill Forums across the country. More than 4,000 comments were recorded or
collected during forums and via electronic and standard mail. These comments are
summarized in 41 theme papers. USDA economists, led by Dr. Keith Collins,
studied the comments and authored five analysis papers.
The proposals unveiled today represent the final phase of a nearly two year
process. Each detailed proposal provides information about why a change is
needed, the recommended solution, and relevant background information about the
impacted program or policy.
Highlights of the proposals include (funding reflects ten year totals):
Increase conservation funding by $7.8 billion, simplify and consolidate
conservation programs, create a new Environmental Quality Incentives Program and
a Regional Water Enhancement Program
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Provide $1.6 billion in new funding for renewable energy research,
development and production, targeted for cellulosic ethanol, which will
support $2.1 billion in guaranteed loans for cellulosic projects and
includes $500 million for a bio-energy and bio-based product research
initiative
- Target nearly $5 billion in funding to support specialty crop producers
by increasing nutrition in food assistance programs, including school meals,
through the purchase of fruits and vegetables, funding specialty crop
research, fighting trade barriers and expanding export markets
- Provide $250 million to increase direct payments for beginning farmers
and ranchers, reserve a percentage of conservation funds and provide more
loan flexibility for down payment, land purchasing and farm operating loans
- Support socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers by reserving a
percentage of conservation assistance funds and providing more access to
loans for down payments, land purchasing and farm operating
- Strengthen disaster relief by establishing a revenue-based
counter-cyclical program, providing gap coverage in crop insurance, linking
crop insurance participation to farm program participation, and creating a
new emergency landscape restoration program
- Simplify and consolidate rural development programs while providing $1.6
billion in loans to rehabilitate all current Rural Critical Access Hospitals
and $500 million in grants and loans for rural communities to decrease the
backlog of rural infrastructure projects
- Dedicate nearly $400 million to trade efforts to expand exports, fight
trade barriers, and increase involvement in world trade standard-setting
bodies
- Simplify, modernize, and rename the Food Stamp Program to improve access
for the working poor, better meet the needs of recipients and States, and
strengthen program integrity
The Administration's 2007 farm bill proposals would spend approximately $10
billion less than the 2002 farm bill spent over the past five years (excluding
ad-hoc disaster assistance), upholding the President's plan to eliminate the
deficit in five years. These proposals would provide approximately $5 billion
more than the projected spending if the 2002 farm bill were extended.
The proposals are available at
www.usda.gov/farmbill. Also posted on USDA's website are the Farm Bill Forum
transcripts, farm bill comments submitted by the public, theme papers
summarizing the comments and USDA analysis papers.
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