Specialty Crops, Conservation Prominent in 2007 Farm Bill Proposals

Feb 1, 2007 3:00 AM

WASHINGTON -- Conservation funding, additional support for specialty crop producers and expanded renewable energy research budgets feature prominently in the U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s proposals for the 2007 Farm Bill, which Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns unveiled here yesterday. The department's proposals include increasing conservation funding by $7.8 billion and creating a new Environmental Quality Incentives Program and providing $1.6 billion in renewable energy research. Another proposal includes $5 billion in new funding for specialty crop producers, which the government would spend primarily by emphasizing nutrition in food assistance programs -- such as school lunches -- through the purchase of more fruits and vegetables. Despite these increases, the USDA estimates that the entire package of more than 60 proposals would cost the government about $10 billion less than an extension the 2002 Farm Bill, which offers significant subsidies on commodity crops.