LSP Statement on Congressional Passage
of 2008 Farm Bill
May 15, 2008
Today the U.S. Senate voted 81-15 to pass the Food, Conservation and Security Act of 2008—more commonly know as the 2008 Farm Bill. Senate passage followed corresponding action in the House of Representatives, which yesterday voted 318-106 to pass the bill with a similar veto-proof margin. President Bush should sign the bill into law. Making this proposal law is clearly the will of Congress and of the majority of Americans affected by the bill.
The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) supports the passage of this Farm Bill because it includes important building blocks towards a more just and sustainable U.S. food and farm policy. The 2008 Farm Bill is clearly better than the 2002 Farm Bill, which would be more than likely extended should President Bush veto the bill and Congress fail to override that veto.
We remain convinced that America needs far-reaching and fundamental reform to U.S. farm policy, especially with regard to the current commodity programs and the concentration of corporate control in food and agriculture in our country. This bill accomplishes very little in these areas. LSP will work unstintingly to accomplish these reforms in the coming years.
But the bill passed by the House and Senate is an improvement in federal farm policy over the 2002 bill because of key investments in:
- working lands conservation, especially the Conservation Stewardship Program;
- beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged farmers;
- local and regional food systems;
- organic research and policy improvements.
These gains make a difference now and lay the foundation for greater reform in the future. It is also important to note that nearly three-quarters of the funding in the bill is directed to critically needed food assistance programs.
The President should listen to Congress, and sign this bill. While nowhere near perfect, it is a step forward.
— Mark Schultz
Policy Director
Land Stewardship Project
612-722-6377
www.landstewardshipproject.org
Link to the House roll call vote results: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll315.xml
Link to the Senate roll call vote results: www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm
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