Conference Agrees to New Farm Bill

A new Farm bill has been agreed to in conference.

Go to http://farmfutures.com/story-negotiators-return-conference-report-farm-bill-0-107932 to read more about it.

Here are some comments about the conference agreement:

“New York Farm Bureau is supportive of the Farm Bill that made its way out of conference committee in preparation for a final vote in both the House and Senate.  Our farmers have worked hard for the past three years advocating for a sensible bill that balances savings with an appropriate safety net for farmers and consumers alike. We appreciate the efforts of New York’s Congressional delegation who serve on their respective agriculture committees as well as those who fought hard in Washington for New York’s diverse agricultural community. The Farm Bill will be a benefit to New York agriculture and we encourage lawmakers to swiftly pass it for the greater good of America’s food system,” said Dean Norton, President of New York Farm Bureau.

“The bill includes reforms that could sow the seeds for a sustainable food and agriculture system. Programs that incentivize increasing access to healthy foods, developing regional food systems, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices are included and funded at higher levels. But these programs should be the core of this legislation instead of on the periphery. This Farm Bill, like many before it, still reinforces a food system rooted in overproduction of ingredients for processed food that tax our health and our environment.

“Transitioning to a sustainable food and farm system will not happen overnight. The Farm Bill is still the best avenue to start making this transition and this bill at least contains nuggets of improvement. There is always more work to be done, but for now, we urge Congress to put an end to the almost two years of uncertainty and pass the Farm Bill.” From Daniel J. Brito, senior Washington representative for Union for Concerned Scientist's Food & Environment Program