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WASHINGTON – In a lopsided vote Wednesday, the House approved a long-awaited farm bill that its proponents say would boost sales of Florida’s fruits and vegetables and send more money to the state for alternate-energy programs.
The measure was passed 318-to-106, far more than the two-thirds vote needed to override a threatened presidential veto.
Supporting the bill were Tampa Bay area GOP Reps. Adam Putnam of Bartow, Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, and Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville, joined Democrat Kathy Castor of Tampa.
Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores was the only area lawmaker to vote against it, as he has with other recent farm bills. Young opposes a number of its provisions, including sugar price supports, his spokesman said.
But Democrat Rep. Tim Mahoney of Palm Beach Gardens – the state congressional delegation’s only member of the House Agriculture Committee – said in an interview “this is a big deal for Florida.”
Among the key items for the state, Mahoney said, is a provision sending $1.02 billion to the United States Department of Agriculture Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program – creating a larger market for fruits and vegetables for Florida farmers.
Putnam, the third-ranking Republican in the House and also a citrus farmer and rancher, also praised the bill, and noted that for the first time in a farm bill resources are directed toward controlling the spread of diseases and pests that threaten Florida agriculture.
The measure also enhances conservation and it provides increased funding to protect water quality and wildlife habitats. P
“This is by no means a perfect bill. For instance there continues to be too much emphasis on corn-based ethanol,” Putnam said. But he said it includes important reforms and it encourages additional alternatives, such as cellulosic-based bio-fuels made from agricultural and forestry crops and associated waste materials.
President Bush and some conservative lawmakers complain the bill would funnel too much money to rich farmers, however.
The bill would still allow married farmers whose net income is up to o $1.5 million to collect subsidies. However, it would no longer allow the children of farmers or other third parties to collect subsidies.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.
The measure was passed 318-to-106, far more than the two-thirds vote needed to override a threatened presidential veto.
Supporting the bill were Tampa Bay area GOP Reps. Adam Putnam of Bartow, Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, and Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville, joined Democrat Kathy Castor of Tampa.
Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores was the only area lawmaker to vote against it, as he has with other recent farm bills. Young opposes a number of its provisions, including sugar price supports, his spokesman said.
But Democrat Rep. Tim Mahoney of Palm Beach Gardens – the state congressional delegation’s only member of the House Agriculture Committee – said in an interview “this is a big deal for Florida.”
Among the key items for the state, Mahoney said, is a provision sending $1.02 billion to the United States Department of Agriculture Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program – creating a larger market for fruits and vegetables for Florida farmers.
Putnam, the third-ranking Republican in the House and also a citrus farmer and rancher, also praised the bill, and noted that for the first time in a farm bill resources are directed toward controlling the spread of diseases and pests that threaten Florida agriculture.
The measure also enhances conservation and it provides increased funding to protect water quality and wildlife habitats. P
“This is by no means a perfect bill. For instance there continues to be too much emphasis on corn-based ethanol,” Putnam said. But he said it includes important reforms and it encourages additional alternatives, such as cellulosic-based bio-fuels made from agricultural and forestry crops and associated waste materials.
President Bush and some conservative lawmakers complain the bill would funnel too much money to rich farmers, however.
The bill would still allow married farmers whose net income is up to o $1.5 million to collect subsidies. However, it would no longer allow the children of farmers or other third parties to collect subsidies.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.