Summary and Text of Amendments Submitted to the Rules Committee for
H.R. 2419 - Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007
Listed in Alphabetical Order
July 26, 2007 9:00 AM*Select Member Name for text of the amendment in .pdf format
#78
(REVISED) The amendment would allow entities that are within 2,000 feet of a rural area, such as just across a road, to qualify to receive funding from USDA Rural Development.
#39
The amendment restores regional flexibility to the USDA's Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program by allowing States to set maximum benefit levels. The amendment will allow states, if they choose, to use a Community Supported Agriculture model for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The amendment is budget neutral and makes no judgment about how a state should design its Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
#21
The amendment expresses the Sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture should use existing authority when determining the Class I milk price mover to take into account the increased cost of production, including energy and feed.
#67
The amendment would repeal all planting restrictions contained in Section 1106 of H.R. 2419, thereby allowing any commodity or crop to be planted on base acres on a farm.
#15
The amendment will lift planting restrictions on 5% of a farm’s base acres to support food and nutrition programs.
#16
The amendment will prohibit non-profit organizations with more than $50 million in direct public support from receiving conservation payments.
#17
The amendment strikes Title I of H.R. 2419 and replaces it with an extension of Title I of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 for five years, with certain exceptions.
#18
The amendment directs the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress that examines the efficacy of crop insurance for rice producers.
#19
The amendment will stipulate that Farm Service Agency records regarding acres planted, type of crop planted, and yields serve as official records for crop insurance records.
#20
The amendment prevents the Secretary of Agriculture from implementing direct attribution provisions until the Department can certify that the provisions will not adversely affect the economic competitiveness of domestically produced cotton and rice.
#22
The amendment directs the Secretary of Agriculture to treat each member of a Subchapter S Corporation as a separate person, rather than treating the Subchapter S Corporation as a single entity, for the purpose of applying payment limitations.
#43
The amendment would authorize Farm Credit institutions to finance businesses that provide services to harvesters of aquatic products under the Farm Credit Act in a similar manner as Farm Credit is currently allowed to serve the agriculture industry.
#12
The amendment provides for effective annual payment limits for farm commodity program payments and benefits. The effective limits are $40,000 for direct payments, $60,000 for counter-cyclical payments, and $150,000 for marketing loan program payments and benefits. Overall, the amendment limits farm commodity program payments and benefits to no more than $250,000 per year. The amendment provides for direct attribution of farm commodity program payments and tightens requirements for being considered actively engaged in farming. The amendment also increases funding for certain conservation and forestry programs.
#36
(REVISED) The amendment restores $45 million in mandatory funding for the Community Food Project competitive grant programs. This program supports a broad range of community efforts to address “food-system” issues by identifying problems related to food security and taking action to permanently solve them with an investment from the federal government. The amendment also establishes an Urban Agriculture Production Program and is offset by a 1 point reduction in crop insurance administrative and operating subsidies.
#37
The amendment establishes a pilot program for local and regional purchase of international food aid commodities to evaluate whether increased flexibility can lead to greater effectiveness in food aid programs.
#38
The amendment would make conservation easements purchased through a transferable development rights program eligible for grants under the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program. Transferable Development Rights (TDR) programs are a voluntary, market-based tool used by states and cities to protect farmland, private property rights, and taxpayer dollars by allowing the transfer of development rights from one parcel of land to another.
#23
The amendment would replace the current daily posted county prices (PCPs) used for determining loan deficiency payment rates and repayment rates for marketing assistance loans with a monthly PCP for each crop. It would revise requirements for establishing a producer’s loan deficiency payment (LDP) and loan repayment rate to be based on the month that beneficial interest is lost. The amendment aims to address farmers taking advantage of short-term market events to lock in artificially high loan deficiency payments, while actually selling the commodity later at prices well above the loan rate.
#96
The amendment authorizes a grants program to assist the land grant institutions in the U.S. territories in upgrading facilities and equipment in the agricultural and food sciences. It authorizes appropriations for five years in the amount of $8 million per year. It authorizes USDA to vary award amounts and to establish competitive criteria for the program.
#97
(REVISED) The amendment clarifies eligibility for the authorized resident instruction and distance education grants programs for the insular areas (7 USC 3361). It amends the definition of ‘eligible institution’ in law to clarify that the programs are authorized to assist the land grant institutions in the U.S. territories.
#98
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment amends the definition of “State” in the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (Title I of Public Law 108-465 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note)) to include American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.
Boustany (LA)/Goodlatte (VA)/Bonner (AL)/Buyer (IN)/Conaway (TX)/Pence(IN)
#5
The amendment strikes Section 4008 of the bill. That section prevents states from privatizing their food stamp eligibility determination system and other aspects of the Food Stamp Program.
#94
The amendment states that in the case of sweet potatoes, Risk Management Agency Pilot Program data shall not be considered for purposes of determining production for the 2005-2006 Farm Service Agency Crop Disaster Program.
#69
The amendment requires USDA to transition Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) employees responsible for plant pest inspection duties back to USDA from the Department of Homeland Security in order to better serve the needs of American agriculture.
#70
The amendment stipulates that if the Secretary of Agriculture does not certify that certain benchmarks contained within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Joint Task Force on Improved Agricultural Inspection have been met within one year of enactment, the Secretary shall transition APHIS employees back to USDA from the Department of Homeland Security.
#89
(REVISED) The amendment would make grants to eligible entities to assist in purchasing operating organic gardens or greenhouses in urban areas for growing fruits and vegetables.
#30
The amendment would restrict eligibility to receive the certification cost-share to those producers with annual organic agricultural products sales of $25,000 or less.
#95
(REVISED) The amendment will comprehensively reform the federal crop insurance program, including the Administration’s farm bill crop insurance proposals. This amendment saves approximately $4 billion while adding resources to the Grassland Reserve Program.
#51
The amendment amends the Animal Health Protection Act to provide the Secretary of Agriculture guidelines with regard to import restrictions on cattle and beef from countries that have detected Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in their native herds.
#52
The amendment allows producers whose current Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts expire in 2007, 2008, 2009, or 2010 who have participated in early reenrollment or extension to terminate their extended or reenrolled contract without penalty. Termination without penalty is allowed only if the terms of the contract with respect to the frequency of haying and grazing have changed from the terms of the current contract as originally agreed to by the producer.
#68
The amendment would cap the amount the Agriculture Research Service can assess for administrative costs for human nutrition research centers at 5%, and prohibit the Secretary from reducing Federal funds made available to these centers through rescission, reprogramming, or project termination.
#32
(REVISED) The amendment provides clarification that eligible individuals who are active regular participants in either drug rehabilitation supportive housing or drug rehabilitation institutions that meet any applicable state standards for the purpose of drug or alcohol treatment will continue to receive food stamp benefits.
#61
The amendment would reserve 10% of program funds for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and the organizations that represent them in Specialty Crops programs. 10% of the block grant funds in Sect. 10102 would be reserved for the community-based organizations, tribes, and minority-serving institutions that are eligible for the 2501 program. Additionally, the amendment requires the Secretary by the end of the Farm Bill to establish a target of at least 10% of the funds, and set aside 5%, for purchase of foods in Section 10103 to go to purchase foods and value-added products from socially-disadvantaged producers.
#45
(REVISED) The amendment strikes the sugar sections in the commodity title as well as the feedstock flexibility program for bioenergy producers, extending current programs until 2012.
#46
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment requires that the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretaries of Commerce and Labor, make a determination whether the changes which H.R. 2419 makes to the sugar program will contribute to a material loss of food and beverage jobs. If the Secretary finds there will be no job impact, then the bill would take effect as written. If the Secretary finds there will be an impact, then the sugar program would continue in its current form.
#85
(REVISED) The amendment requires that the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretaries of Commerce and Labor, make a determination whether the changes which H.R. 2419 makes to the sugar program will contribute to a material loss of food and beverage jobs. If the Secretary finds there will be no job impact, then the bill would take effect as written. If the Secretary finds there will be an impact, then the sugar program would continue in its current form.
#40
(REVISED) The amendment requires the Secretaries of the United States Departments of Agriculture, Energy, and other agencies with related initiatives for switchgrass energy research and investment to make grants to states to: 1. Promote and prioritize switchgrass research. 2. Encourage the production and use of switchgrass ethanol. 3. Provide grants as incentives for farmers to grow switchgrass. A matching fund of 25% is required from non-federal contributors.
Doggett (TX)/Chabot (OH)/Capps (CA)/Platts (PA)/Blumenauer (OR)
#33
The amendment strikes the provision that makes tobacco leaf eligible for funds under the Market Access Program and prohibits the Foreign Agricultural Service from promoting the sale or export of any form of tobacco.
#44
The amendment eliminates Class B dog and cat dealers, requiring research facilities to obtain dogs and cats from licensed dealer/breeders, publicly owned pounds and shelters, long-term owners or breeders donating their dog or cat, or research facilities (and preventing anyone but those sources from selling or donating dogs or cats to research facilities).
#34
The amendment would require states to “opt in” and pass legislation if they wish to deny food stamp benefits to drug felons who have been released from prison. If a state does not pass such legislation, these individuals would be eligible for food stamps.
#109
The amendment directs the USDA to investigate which estates have been receiving payments in the name of dead farmers and recoup payments made in the name of deceased individuals.
#107
The amendment clarifies the breadth of the biorefinery demonstration grants program as established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, such that food that is discarded into a source-separated steam is included.
#56
The amendment would establish a pilot program for four-year crop rotation for peanuts. Under this pilot program, a producer would enter into a contract (similar to Conservation Reserve Program) with the federal government to plant on a 4-year crop rotation. After entering into this contract, the producer would receive a conservation payment of $50 per peanut acre per year as well as a contract implementation payment.
#4
The amendment would exempt all milk deficient states from paying the mandatory Dairy Promotion Assessment as determined by the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983.
#10
The amendment strikes five sections from Title V of the bill (Agribusiness loan eligibility, Loan-to-asset value requirements, Population limit for single-family housing loans, Majority farmer control requirement, and Borrower stock requirement), which expand the lending authority of the Farm Credit System.
#62
(REVISED) The amendment amends the bill to set aside 15% of farmland protection funds for cost-share grants (25% maximum Federal share) to support eligible State agencies, county, and one or more eligible entities (local government or private entities) to purchase conservation easements.
#80
(REVISED) The amendment encourages hunting, fishing and public recreation on locally-managed public lands by creating a new grant program to provide local communities with 50/50 matching funds to acquire forest areas from willing sellers. It authorizes such sums as may be necessary.
#8
The amendment extends the suspension of the 15-year limit on eligibility for guaranteed farm operating loans until January 1, 2009. The underlying bill extends the suspension until January 1, 2008.
#65
The amendment streamlines and adopts one set of terms and conditions of easements for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), Farmland and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP), and Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP).
#47
The amendment would establish a program to encourage environmentally responsible practices on actively farmed muck soil land.
#48
The amendment would forgive the remaining balance of disaster loans issued to muck soil farmers in Orange County, NY between September 1, 1996 and July 31, 1997.
#49
The amendment would authorize USDA to make payments to asparagus producers that have suffered market losses due to increased imports of Peruvian asparagus under the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA).
#75
The amendment adds a new section for "Pollinator Protection" that authorizes research funding to reduce North American pollinator decline and understand Colony Collapse Disorder. This amendment also adjusts USDA conservation programs to put a greater emphasis on increasing habitat and establishing cropping and integrated pest management practices to protect native and managed pollinators.
#76
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment establishes a National Drought Council and a National Office of Drought Preparedness, both under USDA. The purpose of the Office and Council is to assist federal, state, and local authorities in preparing for and responding to droughts. Encourages the preparation of Drought Preparedness Plans and authorizes funds deemed as necessary for the implementation of such plans through a Drought Assistance Fund.
#59
The amendment would modify eligibility requirements for the USDA Farm Service Agency's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program for public land ranchers to remove public grazing allotments from consideration in disaster insurance assessments so that disaster insurance for public land ranchers would be based on private holdings.
#102
The amendment would repeal the ability of the Secretary to waive the existing Food Stamp program work requirements for otherwise covered individuals, including the ability to waive the requirement for up 15% of state's recipient population.
#103
The amendment requires recipients of Food Stamps assistance to perform 20 hours per week of approved “work activities.” Approved activities include work, preparation to find work, vocational education, community service, and providing child care services. Exemptions are provided for senior citizens, the disabled, those already exempt from TANF work requirements, and those who cannot access child care.
#104
The amendment would discontinue the Historic Barn Preservation Program by repealing Section 379A of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008o).
#105
The amendment would strike the provision allowing Rural Development grants to be awarded to rural Public Television stations for conversion from analog to digital technology.
#106
The amendment would add a new title to the bill repealing the sunset date for tax relief in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, which would make permanent the full repeal of estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
#82
The amendment would strike the amendment language passed at the Committee level that would require the USDA to fully divest itself from the graduate school, thereby eliminating the USDA graduate school effective October 1, 2008.
#74
The amendment authorizes a grant program for state and local communities and governments known as the Community Wood Energy Program to use low-grade wood biomass in community wood energy systems for state and locally owned businesses such as schools, town halls, and courthouses.
#35
The amendment requires the use of least toxic pesticides on school grounds, prohibits the application of pesticides when a school or school grounds are in use, requires 72 hours advance notice if a pesticide other than a least toxic pesticide is required to be used, and provides for ongoing monitoring and reporting. $7 million is authorized to carry out the amendment.
#87
The amendment authorizes the establishment of a National Biomass Partnership to facilitate coordination between state and federal programs for biomass fuels and technologies. The Partnership consists of 5 regions and would be administered jointly by 5 regional governors associations.
#88
The amendment requires that "greenhouse gas emissions reductions" be one of the purposes of the biorefinery loan guarantee program as well a selection criteria for sponsored projects.
#84
(REVISED) The amendment prohibits the marketing of medical devices by using live animals in demonstrations to market such devices and implements the recommendations by the USDA Office of the Inspector General for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
#91
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment eliminates the 25% match requirement for outreach and technical assistance grants for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and limited resource farmers and ranchers.
#92
The amendment establishes a special program for socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and landowners. The amendment requires the Secretary of Agriculture to reserve 10% of the funds provided under the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program subchapter to establish a farm and ranch land protection program designed to protect land owned by and to ensure the enrollment of socially disadvantaged farmer and rancher land owners in conservation easement programs.
#101
The amendment is intended to express the sense of Congress that the food available to schoolchildren under the school breakfast and lunch program should be selected so as to reduce the incidence of juvenile obesity and to maximize nutritional value.
#29
The amendment will provide for priority treatment of the Gulf region under the Urban Community Forestry program.
#25
The amendment adds the additional point to Subtitle B of the research title that emphasis should be placed on proposals that examine the efficacy of current agriculture policies in promoting the health and welfare of economically disadvantaged populations (in addition to supporting research/ health promotion to “solve the problems of nutritional inadequacy).
#26
The amendment adds that the Directors coordinating research in the National Agriculture Research Program Office shall also ensure that data and best-practices shall be communicated effectively, especially with disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
#27
The amendment would clarify the Renewable Energy Committee’s role and direct it to analyze effective agriculture renewable energy research and development as well as advise on gaps in the current knowledge base. It also changes the section so that the Renewable Energy Committee reports directly to the Secretary of Agriculture and is not subject to “Advisory Committee” approval in order to be heard.
#28
The amendment provides special consideration for applicants from minority-serving institutions within the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program. The intent is to encourage greater participation by minorities in integrative agricultural research.
#110
(REVISED) The Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment will reform the farmer safety net to work better for small farmers at lower cost, reallocate funding to nutrition, conservation, specialty crops and healthy foods, rural development, and programs that benefit socially disadvantaged farmers.
#77
(REVISED) The amendment requires competitive bidding of sugar ethanol contracts, and keeps the sugar inventory held by the USDA available to the purchaser that will pay the highest price.
#93
The amendment would allow testing for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy using a USDA approved test method.
#99
The amendment would boost funding for the USDA Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants program to 10% (from 2%) of all funds appropriated for biotechnology research in the USDA.
#100
The amendment requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study economic losses experienced by farmers and food processors due to the effects of genetically engineered organisms on conventional and organic crops.
#83
The amendment amends the Household Water Well System Program, which makes grants to non-profit organizations to finance the construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individually owned household water well systems in rural areas for individuals with low or moderate incomes, to allow the use of in-kind contributions to meet the required federal funding match of 10%. The amendment also clarifies that in-kind contributions used to meet the match can be for no purpose other than to administer the water well grant program.
#90
The amendment would restore eligibility to felons convicted of drug offenses for Food Stamps, with an offset from Export Credit Guarantee Programs.
#58
The amendment would make livestock producers eligible for livestock assistance programs regardless of whether they had Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance (NAP) coverage.
#50
(REVISED) The amendment exempts the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) from the $60,000 and $125,000 payment limitations, resetting it to the $450,000 limitation that is in the current law.
#71
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment restores mandatory funding for the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.
#72
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment increases the standard deduction for Food Stamp benefits.
#73
Manager's Amendment. (REVISED) The amendment makes technical and other changes to the bill.
#60
The amendment prohibits individuals from receiving farm conservation payments if their income exceeds $1 million, unless 75% of the income comes from farm income.
#24
The amendment removes certain banking restrictions related to Cuba’s payment for agricultural purchases from U.S. producers. It also authorizes direct transfers between Cuban banks and U.S. banks and allows visas to be issued to conduct activities related to purchasing U.S. agricultural goods.
#11
The amendment directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of the wastewater infrastructure in rural communities along the U.S.-Mexico border. The study will determine the state of the infrastructure and what the Federal government can do to improve it.
#9
The amendment increases the authorization for appropriations for the Nutrition Education and Promotion Initiative to Address Obesity from $10 million to $20 million. The amendment also establishes a pilot program under the Initiative to explore the potential effectiveness of financial incentives for the purchase of fruits and vegetables by Food Stamp Program participants.
#13
(REVISED) The amendment provides mandatory funding for the Healthy Forest Reserve Program of $50 million per year for 5 years and increases the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) from $85 million in 2008 up to $225 million in 2012. The increased funding is offset by reducing direct payments to corn from $0.28 to $0.265.
#14
The amendment allows non-industrial private forest lands to be eligible for emergency restoration funds if the Secretary determines that insect or disease poses an imminent threat of loss or damage to those lands.
#31
The amendment would raise the Prohibition on De Minimis Payments from $25.00 to $100.00.
#6
The amendment requires mandatory enrollment in the Basic Pilot employment verification system in order to receive funding under this bill.
#7
The amendment permanently prohibits any person or entity convicted of violating any immigration law from obtaining funding in the underlying bill.
#1
The amendment creates a competitive demonstration project designed to provide proof of concept in supplementing corn with sweet sorghum as an ethanol feedstock.
#2
The amendment expresses a Sense of Congress that by 2025, 25% of the U.S.'s total energy consumption should come from renewable resources in the U.S.
#3
The amendment allows farmers to harvest bioenergy crops in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in exchange for a reduced CRP payment to be determined by the Secretary.
#108
The amendment requires mandatory country of origin labeling of catfish.
#41
The amendment strikes the section of the legislation allowing leaf tobacco to be eligible for Federal assistance under the Market Access Program.
#42
The amendment reduces the direct payment rate for cotton by 2/3 of a cent. The resulting savings would be used to fund enrollment of 224,000 additional acres in the Grasslands Reserve Program.
#81
(WITHDRAWN) The amendment would expand Food Stamp options to include more widely available wireless access to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) equipment and support services for use at farmers markets, and other non-conventional food retail sites.
#55
The amendment includes forfeitures of sugar loans under the list of benefits that cannot be received by very high-income individuals. The amendment does not apply to the farmer cooperatives and other processors who actually receive sugar price support loans, unless one or more producers who deliver sugar to these processors has an adjusted gross income in excess of the limits.
#79
The amendment establishes performance standards for States’ biometric identification technology systems for usage with the Secure Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program. It requires states to submit statistical evidence to the Secretary that biometric identification technology is a cost-effective method for reducing fraud in order to receive funds for this purpose. And it also requires the Secretary to establish uniform standards for evaluation of cost-effectiveness. In addition, any information gathered by biometric identification will not be used for any other purpose except participation in the Secure Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program.
#53
(REVISED) The amendment encourages schools to submit plans for implementation to the Secretary that include locally grown foods, in areas where available. Also, adds a provision to provide distribution of the program fairly to all States.
#54
The amendment adds a provision to the review process for the Federal Milk Marketing Order Review Commission to include an evaluation of cost of production variables, including cost of feed and cost of fuel. Additionally, it encourages the Commission to be regionally diverse, and moves up the date from 24 months to 18 months after the enactment of this bill.
Whitfield (KY)/Jones, Walter (NC)/Cohen (TN)/Rahall (WV)/Schakowsky (IL)/Spratt(SC)
#57
The amendment would prohibit persons, firms, or corporations from selling, transporting, offering for sale for transportation, or receiving for transportation in commerce any horse, mule, or other equine, or their carcasses, to be slaughtered for human consumption.
#66
The amendment strikes Section 1404, the MILC Program, from the bill, diverts $725 million to nutrition programs that will be beneficial to low income areas, and saves $515 million.
#63
The amendment broadens the eligible universities by adding that universities that do work in alternative energy related fields, such as agriculture, chemistry, environmental sciences, bioengineering, biochemistry, natural resources and public policy are eligible for the biofuels from biomass internship program.
#64
The amendment adds Oregon as a state eligible to participate in the internship program established by Sec. 9015 (biofuels from biomass).
Summary of Amendments Submitted to the Rules Committee for
H.R. 2419 - Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 - Reserve Fund En Bloc Amendment
#1
The amendment would strike the Davis-Bacon requirement under Title IX: Energy, which requires construction contractors and subcontractors on federally assisted loan guarantee projects to pay their employees not less than the prevailing wage.
#2
The amendment strikes the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirement from the Section 9003 biorefinery loan guarantee program in the en bloc amendment, and provides a maximum of $2 billion additional mandatory funding for loan guarantees.
#3
The amendment would increase the funding for Section 9005 - the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Improvements Programs - by $250 million (an increase of $50 million each year of the authorization). As an offset, the amendment reduces funding by an across-the-board cut of 0.04% to the entire bill.
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