The Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007
State of Florida - 08/06/2007Fact Sheet: The Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419)
On Friday, July 27th, the House passed the "Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007" (H.R. 2419) by a vote of 231-191. This legislation a five-year reauthorization of agriculture policy -- increases funding for federal nutrition programs, support for fruit and vegetable growers, bolsters land conservation efforts and imposes new limits on farm subsidies. Included in H.R. 2419 are the following provisions: The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP):
Reauthorizes TEFAP through FY2012;
Increases mandatory funding for TEFAP food purchases from $140 million annually to $250 million in FY2008, and indexes this amount each year thereafter to adjust for [inflation;
Authorizes $100 million annually for TEFAP storage and distribution costs (a $40 million annual increase)
The Food Stamp Program:
Renames the Food Stamp Program the "Secure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;"
De-obligates Food Stamp coupons and requires the use of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to increase efficiency for users and decrease fraud;
Increases the minimum benefit amount to 10 percent of the Thrifty Food Plan;
Raises the minimum standard deduction to not less than $145 and indexes it to inflation;
Raises the food stamps' asset limit for individuals by indexing assets to the annual change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers, which is measured over the 12-month period ending each June. (Current law requires that food stamp recipients have countable assets of less than $2,000, or $3,000 for households with an elderly or disabled member.)
Excludes retirement and education accounts as assets;
Eliminates the dependent care cap (Under current law, the maximum deduction allowable is $200 for each child under two years of age, and $175 for each child over two);
Excludes combat pay as income;
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP):
Extends the CSFP through 2012;
Raises income eligibility cut-off for the elderly to the same level as that for women, infants and children (185% of poverty);
Removes priority requiring elderly to be removed from program before women and children.
Other Nutrition-Related Provisions:
Designates funding under Section 32 ($190 million in FY 2008 and thereafter increasing each year up to a high of $206 million in FY 2012) for USDA to purchase fruits, vegetables and nuts for federal nutrition programs, including TEFAP.
Increases funding from $9 million/year to $70 million annually for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which provides a variety of fresh produce to schools.
Reauthorizes the Senior Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, which provides senior citizens with vouchers to buy fresh produce at markets and roadside stands;
Reauthorizes the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR);
Provides $3 million annually for the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship Program and the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship Programs
Adds new language which provides mandatory (as opposed to discretionary) spending for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program and helps pay for the program through additional savings in the Federal crop insurance program;
Authorizes a competitive grants program to improve underserved communities access to healthy foods.
Next Steps The Senate is expected to take up the Farm Bill after the congressional recess, which runs from August 6th through September 3rd. Americas Second Harvest will be actively engaged in maintaining the nutrition provisions that are in the House-passed farm bill, and promoting other important provisions affecting our network that will improve upon the House bill. For additional information about Americas Second Harvests priorities for the 2007 Farm Bill, please contact Jean Jones, Senior Washington Counsel, at (202) 546-7001 or Eleanor Thompson, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at (312) 641-6706.
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