Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-4th C.D) voted for the passage of the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, included provisions authored by McCarthy that would mandate the inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables in school nutrition programs.

Appointed as a conferee on the 2008 Reauthorization of the Farm Bill Conference Committee in April, Rep. McCarthy was part of a small group that worked to reach a compromise on the different versions of the Farm Bill passed by the House and Senate.

As chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities of the Education and Labor Committee, McCarthy had direct oversight of issues impacting school nutritional programs, specifically the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program. As a result of McCarthy's initiative, the federal government will dedicate more than $1 billion over the next 10 years to ensure that the nutritional needs of children are met in school.

"We must do everything we can to make sure that children get the nutrition they need and develop healthy eating habits that will stay with them throughout their lives," said RMcCarthy.

Additionally, the Farm Bill will help stem the rising food prices that are affecting millions of American families. In fact, nearly three-quarters of the funding set aside in the Farm Bill-an additional $10.4 billion in new spending-will go toward nutritional programs that help 38 million families afford healthy foods.

The Farm Bill also included provisions that boost conservation programs that reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water and air quality, increase wildlife habitat and reduce damage caused by floods and other natural disasters by $7.9 million.

The Farm Bill makes strides in the direction of energy independence by investing $1 billion in renewable energy, focusing on new technologies and new energy sources. It takes another critical step in transitioning biofuels beyond corn to non-food crops and sources such as switchgrass, woodchips and corn stalks.

Finally, the legislation offers the most significant reforms in over 30 years by taking steps to end the process of subsidizing farmer that don't need help. The Farm Bill reduces direct farm payments by $300 million and cuts federal payments to crop insurance companies that are making windfall profits due to higher crop prices by $5.7 billion.

"This is an important time to be involved in the negotiations surrounding the Farm Bill. With a softening economy and skyrocketing energy and food costs, more and more families are being forced to make unthinkably difficult choices between food and other basic necessities," McCarthy said, adding, "This bill is a step in the right direction toward making food more affordable and offering much needed relief to American families."

McCarthy was one of only 22 Democrats not serving on the Agriculture Committee selected for the Farm Bill Conference Committee. The Farm Bill, renewed about every five years, governs federal farm and food policy.