Press Releases
Rep. Young Votes in Favor of Farm Bill
Washington, D.C.,
May 14, 2008
Alaskan Congressman Don Young voted in favor of the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007, H.R. 2149. This bill will provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012. "While this bill is by no means a perfect bill, the good outweighed the bad, and as a result of meetings, phone calls, and emails from Alaskans, I voted in favor of it," said Rep. Young. "The agreement that was reached was a decent compromise that will ensure food security, and increase funding for nutrition programs by over $10 billion. It also includes funding for conservation programs, which I’ve consistently supported, and provides money for renewable energy programs. Additionally I was able to work well with Ranking Member Goodlatte to remove a provision that would have hurt Alaskan wild fisheries. It would have duplicated a grading process already in place by the Department of Commerce and been very harmful to our Alaskan businesses unnecessarily. "There are more things about this bill I don’t like than do, but there are also a lot of important provisions for Alaska such as the reauthorization of the Rural Alaska Village Grant program, as well as a modified version of a bill I cosponsored which would aid our timber communities in the Southeast. Additionally, the increase in funding for food stamps and food programs in general are one of the biggest reasons to support this bill, especially given the increasing cost of food and fuel families are facing. "Unfortunately, this bill fails to modernize farm policy for the 21st Century and continues to subsidize millionaires, but we needed to get it passed, and had to make compromises along the way. However, when all is said and done, those that need the funding will get it, and this bill will benefit many and that is what is most important to me." Among the highlights of this bill, beneficial to Alaska: Adds Ilisagvik College in Barrow to the list of "1994 institutions," which will give the land grant status (allowing them to apply for USDA grants designed to promote and strengthen higher education instructions in the food and agricultural sciences). Includes language to award competitive grants to agricultural producers and rural small business to encourage them to become more energy efficient. Contains a $1.5 million Denali Commission authorization for solid waste projects in Alaska. Reauthorizes the Rural Alaska Village Grant program for another five years.
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