The 2007 Farm Bill is a hot topic in DC and around the country these days. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 will soon expire. That's the one that has organized and orchestrated farm-related spending since then.The 2007 version of the Farm Bill has been under development for some time now. The House passed its version of the 2007 Farm Bill, H.R. 2419, with much debate back in July. The Senate Agriculture Committee has just passed a slightly different version of the Bill, one which invests economics and efforts into a strategy to expand fresh fruits and vegetables for children across the country.
Next week, then, the full Senate will debate the farm bill. We'll see what happens. It ought to be more than interesting. To whom should it be more than interesting? That would include a long list: farmers, ranchers, economists, agribusiness teachers and leaders, and Black farmer advocates, just to name a few. I don't know about you, but I'll be tuned in to C-Span.
The Bill is a monolithic document of 742 pages and eleven titles covering commodities, conservation, energy, rural development, credit, nutrition, and other areas. The House version of the Bill is a $290 billion plan that keeps agricultural subsidies in status quo, no small problem for some folks, while adding provisions for those who grow specialty crops, those concerned about settling discrimination suits, and other things. NPR notes that the bill does not follow party lines but that it does follow regional interests. Critics have problems with its uneven subsidy policy, misguided conservation efforts, increased expenditures for food stamps, and international food and trade issues. Those are seriously complicated issues for amateurs like myself.
There are some measures under Title XI that relate to socially disadvantaged farmers. $15 million per year for five years, for a total of $75 million is allocated to "socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers outreach and technical assistance program." The amendments are designed to enhance various efforts, assist the Secretary in increasing participation of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, allowing for the USDA to grant funds to Community Based Organizations, and requires the Secretary of Agriculture to inform Congress more specifically with how these programs are working. It also has implications for civil rights of these farmers by mandating accurate reporting of participation data, funding of beginning farmers and ranchers, a transparent process when denial of services has occurred, development of an office of outreach, and the establishment of a "Minority Farmer and Rancher Advisory Committee" at the USDA which would report Civil Rights actions to the Secretary of Agriculture in a timely manner.
The number of dollars? Seems to me like too small an amount. Policy changes? Nice ideas, but we've seen those sorts of things before. Maybe this time they won't get trapped in bureauracy.
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives is a vocal critic of various aspects of the legislation. They specifically press for a percentage of the funding to go into areas where disadvantaged farmers are highly populated, a moratorium on foreclosures on properties of African American farmers, development of an independent board to review foreclosure actions, an increase in the amount of funding since the original authorization was never fully appropriated, more equitable funding of 1890 and 1994 institutions that work in the area of small farm research and other areas specifically related to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and "minority serving institutions," restructuring the commodity program so as to benefit small farming operations, and targeting more specifically direct loans to socially disadvantaged farmers.
The Congressional Black Caucus has been especially active, and apparently influential, in the development of the H.R. 2419. Check out this link for their release as to their contributions to the House Bill.
Numerous entities are critical of the ongoing policy of large subsidies for large farms and ranches. The Center for Rural Affairs, located in Nebraska, is especially sensitive to this area, and is advocating for change during this time of debate. See this link for their information and for opportunities to advocate on behalf of various aspects of the bill with the Senate. Follow the links so as to voice your opinion about subsidies or provisions related to the Black farmer and other socially disadvantaged farmers.
So, how complicated is this process? Very. How interesting is the debate going to be? Very. How concerned should we be about the outcome? Very.
Anybody who eats should be concerned about farming. Anybody concerned about farming and rural life in America should be concerned about the plight of the Black farmer. They are our brothers and sisters. We are their brothers and sisters. We are family. We are kin.
