HARRISBURG, Pa., May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff today hailed the 2008 federal farm bill as the most supportive modern farm bill for the northeast region. Congress passed the bill on May 15.

In a letter sent Friday, May 16, Wolff urged President Bush to sign the bill, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, into law.

"I commend Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, especially Sens. Casey and Specter and Congressman Holden, for their leadership on behalf of agriculture in the commonwealth and the many citizens who depend on farm legislation for their well being," said Wolff. "They and their colleagues have furnished Pennsylvania with a package that successfully anticipates our nutrition, conservation, energy, commodities, and risk management needs.

Wolff said many of the enhancements in the bill were recommendations by Governor Edward G. Rendell. Governor Rendell urged Congress in 2007 and this year to adopt provisions in the bill based on two years' worth of listening sessions and meetings with Pennsylvania's agricultural leaders.

Chief among the bill's newly established programs benefiting Pennsylvania agriculture are a $380 million program to address conservation needs in the Chesapeake Bay region and a variety of energy research and investment programs totaling $1 billion that will enable Pennsylvania to establish a home-grown fuels industry. For the first time, specialty crop assistance and risk management tools are included in the farm bill, which will benefit Pennsylvania's diverse agricultural operations.

The bill expands many existing farm bill programs, including the Women, Infant and Children, or WIC, program and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, which provide a safety net for Pennsylvania families in times of nutritional need.

The bill leverages some state investments and complements many of Governor Rendell's agricultural initiatives. State initiatives in conservation, energy and research will now have additional federal funding support. Notably, the state Department of Agriculture's colony collapse disorder research on honeybees will be supplemented with an additional $10 million per year.

Wolff said the commonwealth will be able to grow its legacy of environmental stewardship with the new federal biomass crop assistance and biomass research and development programs, which will enable research and development of cellulosic feedstocks for biofuel production.

Two specific recommendations of the Rendell administration will benefit Pennsylvania's dairy industry, the largest sector of the state's agriculture industry: the extension and enhancement of the milk income loss contract program, or MILC. For the first time, the MILC program will not only safeguard farmers in times of low milk prices, but also provide support in times of heightened feed costs.

Additionally, a feed adjuster concept has been added that will make feed costs relevant to price supports received by dairy farmers. The feed adjustor sets a baseline feed cost of $7.35, which is based monthly on the prices of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa hay.

"This farm bill is very much in line with our anticipated program needs and objectives," said Wolff. "I look forward to supporting these programs at the state level, allowing us to continue our legacy of national leadership in conservation, renewable energy and food production."

CONTACT: Chris L. Ryder

(717) 787-5085