by Ellie Hurley
The food crisis we are now living amidst only serves to further emphasize the importance and extreme impact of the farm bill recently passed in congress and the senate. First passed in 1949, the farm bill contains provisions regarding commodity subsidies, food assistance, conservation, agricultural trade, credit, rural development, research and other farm, food, and rural policies. This one bill decides the fate of our food stamp program, our family farmers, our environmental practices, and much more.
For those of us with a vested interest in honestly reducing poverty, increasing local food consumption, and ending world hunger (among other things), the passing of the 2008 Farm Bill was bitter sweet. The battle to pass the farm bill was long and hard fought, culminating in Bush's veto of the bill which was swiftly overturned. In an era where the current administration has pushed free trade, offered tax breaks to factory farmers, lowered environmental standards, and increased the number of people living in poverty passing a progressive and comprehensive farm bill was a priority for many. While there are wins within the current farm bill, it also leaves much to be desired. One look at this bill, what was improved and what wasn't, gives the reader a clear view of our fractured political system along with the misconceptions about the connections between poverty, food, and the economy.
In his statement when vetoing the bill Bush said, "Today's farm economy is very strong and that is something to celebrate. It is also an appropriate time to better target subsidies and put forth real reform. Farm income is expected to exceed the 10-year average by 50 percent this year, yet Congress' bill asks American taxpayers to subsidize the incomes of married farmers who earn $1.5 million per year. I believe doing so at a time of record farm income is irresponsible and jeopardizes America's support for necessary farm programs." Not only is this statement a gross misrepresentation of the true facts regarding our nations family farms but it also aims to focus the nations attention on the farming aspect of the farm bill and not the multiple other environmental and social aspects of the legislation.
There were disappointments in the farm bill that was passed. Unfortunately it does little to right the global agricultural market for which the agenda is largely laid out by powerful corporations. That being said, when Bush vetoed the bill, he wasn't doing anyone but his corporate friends a favor. If his veto had not been overturned, we would have continued using the 2002 farm bill, which just like the recently passed one hold no standards for how factory farming and corporate America affect the global food system.
However, the farm bill was not a total loss and had Bush's veto held it would have left many of America's poor in a dire situation.
The 2008 Farm Bill Provides around $50 million annually in loan guarantees for businesses in rural areas involved in local food distribution and marketing. This provision will strengthen local economies, create jobs in rural areas, and help low income communities better their diets. In the same vein it also provides $20.6 million per year for fresh fruits and vegetable vouchers to low-income seniors that can be used at participating farmers' markets. The bill also makes move to specifically fight childhood obesity, which is a growing problem particularly in low income communities. The bill gives $500 million over five years for selected low-income schools to purchase at least one daily fresh fruit or vegetable snack.
The Farm Bill also offers some much needed changes to our nation's Food Stamp program. Renaming the program SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), will hopefully combat the some of the social misconceptions about being on the Food Stamp program. Often, out of shame, people who qualify for food stamps don't apply. The 2008 Farm Bill also includes increased SNAP benefits, indexed to inflation. If the President's veto had stuck the benefits offered under the program would have remained the same as they were in 2002. A pilot program has been added to evaluate health and nutrition promotion in SNAP. The purpose of the program is to reduce obesity in the US among SNAP recipients, and will receive $20,000,000 in mandatory funding.
The victories in the 2008 Farm Bill are large victories, and hard fought victories. For many the passage of this bill has been a very hard battle. There is still much ground to cover, and unfortunately much of this bill was dictated by those that can line the politicians' pockets. But there are also significant gains and a true sense that there is a strong undercurrent moving us towards change and progressive politics that will actively combat the forces behind hunger and poverty in the world.
