“President Bush is waging a $300 million a day war in Iraq and has presided over the largest fiscal deterioration in our nation’s history, yet he’s chosen to draw the line for fiscal discipline at the feet of our hard working farmers,” Clinton said in a statement released by her campaign. “The 2007 Farm Bill contains vital investments in a safety net for farmers; conservation, renewable energy, nutrition, and rural development that will help sustain our rural communities and ensure that America’s food supply is abundant, safe and healthy.” (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, November 6, 2007)
The proposal, put forward principally by US senators from the Northeast, including Democratic New York senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, calls for funds over and above those provided to "commodity farmers" in the Midwest, that would add to an element of the agricultural industry that reportedly accounts for nearly 50% of the US crop cash receipts, but "has been largely ignored in previous farm bills," according to Schumer… The funding would go toward market and economic development, conservation, pest and disease resistance research, and salaries for local technical advisors, as opposed to direct payments to farmers in order to best stimulate and strengthen the market for specialty crop farmers. (Suffolk Life Newspapers, October 10, 2007)
"The Farm Bill reauthorization provides an incredible opportunity to fight for farmers, rural communities and agricultural industry. It is my hope that the innovative ideas and initiatives we discussed will be included in this year's Farm Bill reauthorization to create a stronger safety net for farmers, a bigger conservation agenda, a greater emphasis on renewable energy, and better opportunities for the next generation of farmers to begin a career in agriculture or continue the family farm or operation. I will continue to stand behind the growers and producers in New York and across the country," said Senator Clinton. (Senator Clinton press release, May 16, 2007)
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that a major new five-year farm bill should make Americans healthier by piling more vegetables onto their dinner plates. (Newsday.com, May 20, 2007)
Barack Obama
“I applaud Chairman Harkin for his tireless efforts on this bill, and for gaining important ground on many of the priorities for our family farmers. The bill maintains a strong safety net for family farmers, and provides more funding for conservation and nutrition and rural development. By increasing funding for renewable energy, the legislation recognizes those farmers who are working to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. I am pleased that it includes a provision I cosponsored to expand E-85 fuel infrastructure to help the ethanol and biofuels industry succeed. (Senate office statement following Senate Ag Committee farm bill mark up, October 25, 2007)
"It’s time for us to make some changes to the Farm Bill so we spend fewer resources subsidizing corporate megafarms and more time and resources supporting family farmers and rural America,” said Obama. “Specifically, we should lower the payment limit to $250,000 annually and make sure those payments go to farmers who need them -- not to millionaire farmers who are relying on the American taxpayers to protect their multi-million dollar profits… it’s about the future for these kids who are going to graduate from Tama High. It’s about whether they can find opportunity here at home. It’s about whether they’ll have a government that fights for them, so they can dream without limit.” (Cattle Network, August 17, 2007)
KEY ISSUES
