USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack (left) went before the House Ag Committee this week and laid out five priorities for the next Farm Bill, slated for intense food-fighting in 2012. These five priorities are (via the Delta Farm Press):
* broadband access,
* renewable energy and bio-fuels,
* regional food systems and supply chains,
* forest restoration and private land conservation, and
* ecosystem market incentives.
Now if you’re a Fair Food Fighter or an eager locavore, you probably did a serious double-take on point three: Regional food systems and supply chains. If the promotion of small, regional warehouses and farm groups is truly a priority for the Vilsack USDA, and not a mere test-balloon, we could be in for one heckuva fight in the next Farm Bill. Why? Because “regional” is not “big,” as in Big Ag or Big Food, and we’ve seen from ag’s pushback over the last year, that point is likely to be argued…energetically.
Case in point, it didn’t take long for Ag Committee member Rep. Frank Lucas from Oklahoma to “pounce,” saying:
“Are you telling the committee that the administration’s key areas of emphasis in the next farm bill will be broadband, renewable energy, biofuels, regional food systems, supply chains, forest restoration, private land conservation and ecosystem market incentives? Are those really the primary issues where the administration will go in the next farm bill?”
Vilsack replied that the five priorities are “significant issues that need to be addressed (while) recognizing this committee will obviously focus on risk management tools, direct payment programs and the traditional safety net.
That will be the fight in a nutshell: Big Ag proponents seeking to keep the focus on risk management and direct payment programs (which many say have entrenched an unhealthy corn- and soy-based ag and food system), while proponents of regional foods press forward with (ironically) the USDA at the fore.
I’m thinking this is going to be a Farm Bill fight to remember…
I have taken this blog very supportive for the world people who are about to dying of starvation. Excessively growing urbanization, enchrochment of forest and fertile land and recently growing burning topic global warming are the core matter of food shortage. Now is the time to think about our desendent who are coming in the world will definitely curse us if we don’t step forward to contral or save the fertile land. The excessive usage of Chemical composter should be ommited and replaced with organic Composter.