Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007
Floor Speech
FARM, NUTRITION, AND BIOENERGY ACT OF 2007 -- (Senate - December 14, 2007)
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Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, today I would like to take a few minutes to speak about a piece of legislation essential to Washington State and its agricultural community--the 2007 farm bill. This bill is the result of an incredible amount of hard work by many different people. In particular, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Senate Agriculture Committee chair, Tom Harkin, and ranking member Saxby Chambliss and their staff for the strong, bipartisan bill passed out of committee and to Senator Debbie Stabenow and her staff for their tireless work on behalf of this Nation's fruit and vegetable growers. These individuals, along with many others, have created a carefully crafted compromise, resulting in the best farm bill in Washington State history.
Washington is blessed with a wide and diverse agricultural economy. We lead the Nation in the production of 14 agricultural crops, including red raspberries, apples, hops, sweet cherries, pears, and concord grapes. We rank second nationwide in the production of asparagus, third in the production of dry peas and lentils, and fourth in the production of wheat and barley. Washington's dairy industry makes up over 14 percent of our agricultural economy, and we are second nationwide in the export of fruits and vegetables. Washington's agricultural products are pivotal to the Nation and the agriculture industry is pivotal to Washington. From provisions dealing with specialty crops to dairy to commodities and pulse crops, all of this farm bill has a direct impact on my State and the many hard-working farmers and producers living in it.
I was very pleased to work with Senator Baucus and others on the Finance Committee to authorize the agriculture disaster relief trust fund. The trust fund is a historic attempt to deal with agricultural disasters in a logical and deliberate manner before they happen, as opposed to cobbling together ad hoc relief after disaster strikes. I am particularly pleased with the focus on pest and disease management for our specialty crop growers. The fund also includes mandatory funding for the Tree Assistance Program--a program that helps growers replace the trees upon which their crop is grown after disaster strikes. I am pleased that my amendment that will help in the implementation of this program and ensure that growers have access to the funds that have been provided for them was accepted during floor consideration. I am confident that it will be a significant improvement for growers in Washington and across the country.
This bill also includes a critical program for Washington asparagus growers--the Asparagus Market Loss Program. While the Andean Trade Preferences Act and Peru Trade Promotion Agreement are likely to have a significant positive effect on many different agricultural products, they have led to devastation in the asparagus industry. Since the passage of the Andean Trade Preferences Act, Washington has lost 21,000 of its 30,000 acres dedicated to asparagus, and all three of Washington's asparagus canning facilities have now moved to Peru. In the past 17 years, the $200 million Washington asparagus industry has been reduced to a $75 million industry. This is the reason that I worked so hard with Senators Stabenow and Murray to include the $15 million market loss program dedicated to asparagus growers in the farm bill. This program will support domestic asparagus producers, helping them plant and harvest more efficiently and remain competitive in the international marketplace.
It is also important to remember that a farm bill is about more than farms. It is also about addressing the Nation's nutrition needs and finding ways to best conserve our land. As one of the pilot States for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Washington can attest to the positive impact created by this innovative program. Not only does this program provide fresh and nutritious food for our schoolchildren, but in doing so, it creates a domestic market for our fruit and vegetable growers. Well-nourished children are given a greater opportunity to succeed in school, and children who are provided fresh fruit and vegetables as opposed to chips, cookies, and other junk foods, have a head start in fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity. The $1.1 billion provided for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in this bill will extend this program to 100 schools in each State so that children across the country can benefit from the nutritious snacks provided by America's farmers. This program is a key piece of the overall nutrition focus in this bill. From children's advocates to the religious community to college students and health organizations, I have heard from a wide variety of constituents on the importance of nutrition programs, and I am pleased this bill prioritizes our country's nutrition needs.
In addition to agriculture and nutrition, the farm bill's conservation title is a high priority for Washington and Washingtonians. From the shimmering Puget Sound and the majestic Cascade Mountains, to the breathtaking Columbia River Gorge and amber fields of our southeast counties, my State of Washington prides itself on its diverse and iconic natural beauty. Protecting that natural beauty is a top priority for me and is why I am pleased at this bill's funding for popular conservation programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program and measures to make popular programs like the Conservation Security Program more accessible and easier to use for our wheat farmers, specialty crop growers, and other producers. Additionally, this bill provides for biomass and bioenergy research programs and focuses in part on cellulosic feedstock, which is key for Washington's farmers. These research programs are not only critical to the creation of new, clean energy sources and reducing our dependence on foreign oil, they provide another valuable domestic market for our farmers. By focusing our efforts on expanding the involvement of our farmers in creating clean renewable energy, we are helping our farmers, helping our environment, and being good stewards of the taxpayer dollar. I commend the Agriculture Committee on a strong conservation title. I will look to find ways in which it can be strengthened even further and will vote against any attempt to weaken it.
From a historic investment in specialty crop programs to the significantly improved nutrition title and the strong conservation title, the committee bill before us today is the best bill for Washington in memory. Once again, thank you to Senators Harkin and Chambliss for their work on this strong, bipartisan bill. I strongly urge all Senators to vote in favor of final passage.
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