Washington, D.C., May 18, 2007—Legislation to better serve agriculture is a priority for Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), and he has introduced the Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act to help improve a sector that is key to his state’s economy and the health of its consumers. The Senator often reminds people how dependent they are on farms for food, and through the proposal has worked to improve on the fundamentals of the farm bill and offer innovative programs to better serve New York agriculture.

Over the past three years, American Farmland Trust (AFT) has also learned from farmers and ranchers that the current federal farm programs are often under-funded and not working well. “Our nation’s farmers are turned away from participating in conservation programs, and the majority receives no program support for their crops and livestock. We have an inadequate safety net in place that results in the need for repeated supplemental disaster assistance. Each year there is less farmland and fewer farmers, and, worse, in this country, too many people who go hungry,” said Grossi.

The Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act provides recommendations to increase funding for, and improve, conservation programs; to reform and adequately fund farmland protection efforts; and to improve and expand crop insurance, renewable energy and forestry programs. The bill includes dairy and organic policy recommendations; strengthens the nation’s food assistance programs; and supports the production, distribution and access to healthy foods in order to address the country’s hunger and healthy diet issues. In addition, the bill includes a farm profitability grants program that producers, cooperatives, research institutions and eligible entities could use for critical programs in their state or region—for instance, to develop agricultural processing facilities, provide food safety training and more.

“Updating the 2007 Farm Bill in an innovative way is not wishful thinking—it’s a legislative reality that will unfold over the next few months,” says Grossi. “Senator Schumer has demonstrated the kind of leadership that it takes to put better policies in place that will affect not only his state, but farmers and ranchers and consumers across the country. We need to keep in mind that the farm bill is the biggest expenditure of taxpayer money for conservation, farm and food and nutrition programs, and we all have a stake in writing the best policy possible to take agriculture forward.”

“AFT is proud to have worked with Senator Schumer to help meet the needs of New York’s farmers, communities and schools around the country,” Grossi said. It is the Senate companion to legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House (H.R. 2144) by Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD). Rep. DeLauro is the Chair of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

More information on the Food, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act can be seen at http://www.farmland.org/programs/campaign/default.asp along with information about AFT’s leadership of, and contributions to, the formation of a new farm and food policy for America.