2008 Farm Bill Signed Into Law
congresswatch | Land
According to the Billings-based Western Organizations of Resource Councils (WORC), the 2008 Farm Bill [H.R. 6124; Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008] did not quite meet expectations in some key areas, including the production of homegrown biofuels.
As stated on WORC's website: "{T}he Farm Bill did not set up a biofuels feedstock reserve policy to help control price spikes and market volatility. While U.S. biofuels production is a negligible factor in the run up of global food prices, Congress should establish a farmer-owned biofuels feedstock reserve as part of a common sense mechanism in farm and fuel policy."
WORC also commented on Congresses' flagging financial support for renewable energy research and development, stating, "...Congress has economized on funds for the Renewable Energy Assistance Program (REAP), which has some of the greatest potential for rural and renewable energy development. Rural America is full of opportunities for significant development of new, decentralized energy efficiency and renewable technologies including wind, solar, biodiesel, and others..."
WORC does observe that Congress took a step in the right direction by allocating funds to advance our transition to greener and more sustainable biofuels, like cellulosic ethanol, from perennial prairie grasses, rather than from corn.
On balance, the 2008 Farm Bill has some good provisions for Montana's farmers and ranchers and energy consumers. But it is clear that Congress can - and should - do even more to foster the country to a cleaner and more sustainable renewable energy future.
The Farm Bill also has some provisions for wildlife and habitat conservation, although the decreased funding to these programs does weaken the provisions. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an agency that receives its funding through the Farm Bill. The CRP compensates ranchers for keeping native Montana prairie, for example, intact for wildlife conservation.
The Wetland Reserve Program is a voluntary program that offers compensation to ranchers who enroll their wetlands for protection, restoration and enhancement. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides support and expertise to assist landowners with wetlands conservation efforts. The emphasis for conservation groups now is to ensure that enough incentives are provided for in legislation like the farm bill to make private land conservation viable for ranchers.
Though the bill was vetoed by President Bush, the entire Montana congressional delegation voted to override that veto and the bill now becomes law.
For More Information
Western Organization of Resource Councils
Northern Plains Resource Council
