Coleman assesses provisions of farm bill
By FRITZ BUSCH Journal Staff Writer
POSTED: May 20, 2008
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Coleman said reforms include the triple entity (payment) rule elimination and a provision to match Social Security numbers with subsidy payments.
In recent years, some of America’s wealthiest and famous people plus some large corporations received up to 150 times the Median Farm Subsidy, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
The EWG list included David Rockefeller, John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance, Westvaco Corp., Caterpillar, Chevron, former NBA star Scottie Pippen, media mogul Ted Turner and Enron CEO Kenneth Lay.
Coleman said payment limitations were another issue since farms in different parts of the country vary greatly in size.
“We respect the needs of farmers in other parts of the country. We all need to work together,” said Coleman.
He hailed the bill for the largest conservation funding increases in history, $1 billion for cellulosic ethanol programs, and $9.2 billion (70 percent of the bill) for nutrition programs.
“In the end, this is a good bill. It’s a tremendous victory for Minnesota, as our agricultural economy plays a vital role in the strength of our state,” said Coleman.
The bill established sugar ethanol and permanent disaster assistance programs, increased the sugar loan rate, raised the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program payment rate back to 45 percent from the current 34 percent level, expanded renewable fuel use, increased conservation and invested heavily in nutrition and food assistance programs.
“We need to end our addiction and being held hostage to foreign oil we buy from thugs and tyrants unfriendly to our country,” said Coleman.
The Farm Bill included funding for increased cellulosic ethanol, wind, solar, glycerin and hydrogen fuel cell energy development.
“We’re getting closer and closer to cellulosic (plant mass) ethanol. With it, we can produce 60 billion gallons of ethanol a year in this country,” said Coleman.
Some of the more popular cellulosic materials for ethanol production include corn stover, switch grass, miscanthis (perennial grasses) and wood chips.
Coleman said a Farm Bill provision will add $120 million for rural water development in southwestern Minnesota.
Regarding rising food costs, Coleman said 80 cents of every dollar spent on food has nothing to do with farmers.
“Much of the rising costs have to do with people in India eating more meat and more Chinese being able to eat more than one meal a day, which is a good thing,” said Coleman.
“The big picture is, we made substantial Farm Bill program reform,” added Coleman.
(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com'>fbusch@nujournal.com).
