Farm bill passes in U.S. House

Published 10:08 pm Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The U.S. House on Wednesday passed a new farm bill that aims to boost funding for nutrition programs and give more federal help to farmers, including those in Washington state.

“This is a big victory for Washington farmers,” said Patrick Connor, director of national affairs for the Washington State Farm Bureau.

The $290 billion bill includes about $2 billion to help farmers who grow vegetables, fruits and nursery products to market and export their produce and conduct research, Connor said. That’s considered one of the new key provisions for farmers in the Evergreen State.

Agriculture has remained the state’s biggest employer for decades, and many farmers in the state grow specialty crops such as apples, blueberries and pumpkins.

“It’s good to see some of the funding flow into smaller operations, which tend to be specialty-crop farmers” who grow vegetables, fruits and nursery products, said Keith Stocker, who raises berries and vegetables at his Snohomish farm.

The 318-106 vote of the House for the five-year bill came despite President Bush’s promised veto. The president says the measure is too expensive and gives too much money to wealthy farmers.

In addition to assisting farmers, the bill gives big increases in food stamps and other nutrition aid to help lower-income people at a time when grocery prices are skyrocketing, said Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., who voted for the measure.

“One sign that the economic downturn is taking a toll on Northwest Washington families is how many are turning to local food banks for help,” Larsen said in a prepared statement.

About two-thirds of the bill would pay for nutrition programs such as food stamps and emergency food aid for those in need. An additional $40 billion is for farm subsidies, while almost $30 billion would go to farmers to idle their land and to other environmental programs.

Overall, farmers in Snohomish and Island counties are expected to continue to receive little of the federal subsidies that mainly benefit big farmers of commodities such as corn, cotton and wheat.

The bill also contains $3.8 billion that would pay farmers who lose crops to weather-related disasters.

“We need some kind of insurance for an catastrophic, weather-related event we don’t have control over,” said Rick Williams, a Stanwood crop farmer.

Rising gas and electricity prices have increased costs at his farm, said Williams, a fourth-generation farmer. If the government doesn’t assist farmers, food prices will have to keep going up.

“We need a safety net,” Williams said.

The bill must clear the Senate before heading to the president’s desk. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill today.

“I’m not counting my chickens yet, but it’s probably a good step,” Ed Husmann, president of the Snohomish County Farm Bureau, said of the House’s passing of the bill.

Husmann, who raises apples in Sultan, said that he has yet to know how exactly the new farm bill will affect him. The bill is huge and affects numerous people, he said.

“We don’t know what this means. Does this mean that I, as a farmer, get aid in a disaster? Or does most of the money go to agencies?”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

How they voted

How Washington state’s representatives voted on the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act. A yes vote is a vote to pass the legislation, which was approved by the House on Tuesday in a 318-106 roll call vote.

Democrats

Yes: Brian Baird, Norm Dicks and Rick Larsen

No: Jay Inslee, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith

Republicans

Yes: Doc Hastings and Cathy McMorris Rodgers

No: Dave Reichert

Associated Press