AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIES COMMISSIONER: SPARKS CONCERNED OVER MCCAIN'S FARM BILL COMMENTS

FROM THE AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIES COMMISSIONER

August 07, 2008

MONTGOMERY – Agriculture & Industries’ Commissioner Ron Sparks is extremely concerned over Senator John McCain’s recent comments in opposition to the Farm Bill while in Wisconsin. McCain’s quotes include comments such as this, “I don’t support agricultural subsidies no matter where they are. The farm bill, $300 billion, is something America simply can’t afford.”

“Sen. McCain obviously doesn’t understand the agricultural issues farmers are facing in the United States, and especially in Alabama,” said Sparks. “McCain is worried that our farmers are getting rich through subsidies, but I can tell you that in Alabama without the Farm Bill many Alabama farmers would not be able to continue farming.”

Of the $300 billion in the Farm Bill, less than 30% goes to farmers as subsidies. The rest of the money goes to other agriculture related programs. The Farm Bill would expand nutrition aid for the poor, elderly, children and babies; increase funding for conservation programs; provide marketing resources for agricultural products; and create a $4 billion disaster program for farmers. Another important component of the Farm Bill provides food to school children through the free lunch program. It is widely documented that there is a direct correlation between low performance schools and the number of free lunches provided there. The Farm Bill helps ensure that all children are in a better position to learn by having a hot meal each school day no matter what their family’s income is.

In the last few years, Alabama has experienced the worst drought in the nation, hurricane and tornado disasters, and a late spring freeze that devastated many farmers. Sparks says that Alabama farmers need and deserve assistance. The cost of food has been going up, but that is due to the rising cost of equipment, fuel, and fertilizer. Add to that the costs of recovery following a disaster and losses due to drought or other bad weather and it is clearly taking a toll on farmers.

“It is not an accident that farmers in the U.S. are able to provide us with the most economical and safest food supply in the world,” added Sparks. “We need to help them continue to work. Sen. McCain should also keep in mind that food independence goes hand in hand with national security.” The number of family farms in Alabama goes down by 500 to1,000 each year.