Pelosi: Farm Bill to Help Families Facing High Food Prices, Help Fuel Our Nation's Energy Needs

"The Farm Bill is a first step in reforming America's farm policies and a giant leap forward in helping Americans who are struggling with the high cost of groceries and gasoline.

"By an overwhelming, veto-proof margin, the House approved a Farm Bill that will drastically increase nutrition initiatives that will help 38 million American families put healthy food on their table.  As Time magazine recently pointed out, this legislation will also help to reduce rising food costs by providing emergency assistance to farmers to help them get their food to market, cutting ethanol subsidies, and increasing support for food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens.

"High energy prices are contributing to higher food prices and are straining family budgets, which is why the Farm Bill makes a $1 billion investment in energy independence and supports the transition to cellulosic ethanol.  These efforts will help ensure that we send our energy dollars to the Midwest and across America, instead of the Middle East, and help reduce the high cost of energy.

"While I would have preferred additional commodity reforms, the bill does improve upon current law.  With this legislation, the New Direction Congress will help families facing high food prices and fuel our nation's energy needs with American-made, renewable energy."