This week, Congress approved a five-year $307 billion dollar farm bill with extensive bipartisan support, which, says the NY Times, virtually seals President Bush’s defeat in this ongoing battle over agricultural policy. There’s been a lot of debate over the bill – whom it benefits, and what its greater effects will be over time. Of course, a $307 billion dollar plan for anything can’t, at least in most cases, simply be labeled good or bad. The complexity of the bill is introduced below by Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, the senior Republican on the agriculture panel:

Obviously, I have been very disappointed in the comments coming out of the White House, Mr. Chambliss said. But we do have a strong vote in both the House and the Senate, and I think that shows you that in a complex piece of legislation like this, and it truly is because it touches so many different areas of so many different aspects of agriculture and food production, as well as nutrition and conservation and energy, that there is something in this bill for every member of the House and every member of the Senate. [NY Times]

The bill does increase spending for food stamps and food banks. In fact, it has allocated roughly $209 billion for these nutrition programs, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill encourages farmers to preserve land that would otherwise be swallowed up by suburban development, and will also provide $400 million to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.

On the not-so-great side, it maintains legislation that allows for the direct payment of government subsidies to farmers amounting to around $5 billion a year, regardless of the state of the economy and despite the fact that net farm income is up 50% due to increased food costs. The bill also includes tax breaks to racehorse breeders, courtesy of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

For more on the pros and cons of the US farm bill, check out the related links below. You can also by donating to food banks and food-rescue organizations that serve your community through the America’s Second Harvest online food bank locater.

Related:

>>Farm bill may help the bay

>>A Disgraceful Farm Bill

>>Farm bill boosts nutrition and cuts ethanol credit