Monday, October 22, 2007

This one's for me

but you can read along if you like, Farm Bill 2007, it's in the Senate now.

text of the bill

amendments

That doesn't work. To look up a bill [using the farm bill as a specific example] start here.
  1. Type the bill number [hr 2419] into the Search Bill Text box, choose the Bill Number button, and click on Search.
  2. As of this posting, there are 4 versions of the bill. Click on the link to the version you want. I used the one labelled (Placed on Calendar in Senate) H.R.2419.PCS.
  3. That brings up the table of contents for the bill [all nicely hyperlinked].
  4. If you want to see the amendments, click on Link to the Bill Summary & Status file at the top of the page.

overview

other information

CBO cost estimate

Senator Lugar to introduce FRESH Act [amendment] Tues Oct 23

I can't tell for sure, but it looks like you can call and say something about it [FRESH Act]

When: Tuesday, October 23, 3:15pm

How: Call: 866-740-1260; passcode: 572331

Why: The FRESH Act would provide an innovative, cost-saving farm safety net while overhauling crop subsidy programs, which currently help only one-third of American farmers. It would provide $6 billion more than the current farm bill in funding for farm conservation programs that help farmers improve water quality, air quality, and wildlife habitat and protect working farm and ranchland from sprawl. These reforms also would align our agricultural programs with our international obligations at the World Trade Organization. The FRESH Act would encourage a healthy food supply and would provide greater funding for nutrition programs.

CONTACT: Sean Crowley of Environmental Defense, +1-202-572-3331 or scrowley@environmentaldefense.org



Why it's so hard to cut out the subsidies for Big Agriculture: food stamps and some other programs that help low income people eat are also part of the farm bill. No fat for rich corps = no food for poor folks.

Not that that's the only problem.


Some blogs and such, on farm policy:

CropProducer.com
FarmPolicy.com
Mulch blog

2 comments:

Keifus said...

Campaigning in Iowa is the culprit?

Does the likes of Monsanto get counted as 'big agribusiness'? It gets a little confusing who is actually winning here, or even who's getting pandered too.

(I'm behind on my work, my homework, and even my time-wasting. However did that happen?)

ttudevu: deviant attitudes (or your studies, Frenchie)

hipparchia said...

i'm way behind on my homework too.

you're right, it's really difficult to tell just who's whining, who's being pandered to, and about exactly what. one of the obstacles to figuring it out is the complexity of the bill, such as including food stamps and biofuels in there.

it makes some sense to do that. stuff that gets grown on farms is going to go to feeding people and fueling vehicles, but they could really have all been their own bills. it's going to be harder to separate them now, should somebody ever decide to try.

is monsanto big ag? probably. i can't remember if they still own their gmo-producing business[es] or not, so they may or may not get actual subsidies for growing crops. however, the farm bill also includes provisions for paying for various kinds of research [i didn't know that unitl i started reading through the bill last night], so my guess is they'll probably get money for something.