House Approves 2007 Farm Bill

News Date August 01, 2007

The House of Representatives approved the 2007 farm bill (H.R. 2419) on July 27 after three days of debate. The farm legislation was approved on a vote of 231 to 191. The White House has threatened a veto.

Generally, farm bills are passed with bipartisan votes, but last minute actions to fund nutrition programs with tax offsets caused many Republican lawmakers to express concern and vote against the bill. The House Agriculture Committee released a statement saying the farm bill makes historic investments in fruit and vegetable production, conservation, nutrition and renewable energy while maintaining a strong safety net for farmers.

The new 2007 farm bill includes many provisions that respond to NASDA's recommendations. Those include measures that provide an economic safety net for producers and enhancing conservation programs. More than $1.6 billion is provided for specialty crops including $365 million for the specialty crop block grant program administered through state departments of agriculture. In addition, increased funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) will continue to allow state regional trade groups and NASDA to increase international marketing opportunities for producers and agricultural businesses. Enhanced nutrition programs, such as expanding the school fruit and vegetable program, rural development initiatives and more than $2.4 billion for renewable energy programs will provide for economic growth in rural areas.

The farm bill also includes provisions on payment limits to ensure that people making more than $1 million a year in adjusted gross income can not collect conservation and farm program payments. Another provision would fully implement Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for meat. Copies of the bill and amendments that were adopted are available on the House Agriculture Committee's website at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html.