Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced today that the Agriculture Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (H.R. 5384) passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 378 to 46.  The bill appropriates $93.6 billion for programs such as food stamps, Specialty Block Grants, and food safety.  As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Larsen pushed to include funding in the bill for programs that will aid northwest farmers and rural communities across Washington state.

“As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to represent the needs of our agriculture community,” said Larsen.  “I have worked hard to make sure the federal government is protecting the unique agriculture needs of Washington state.”

“This spending bill more than doubles the current funding level for Specialty Crop Block Grants, helping Washington farmers stay competitive as they grow specialty vegetables, fruits and organic crops,” Larsen said.

“We also included $443,000 for the Pacific Northwest Small Fruit Research Center.  Washington state’s 2nd Congressional District is a major producer of small fruit crops such as raspberries and strawberries.  This research center is doing important work to help farmers enhance the quality, yield and marketability of their small fruit crops,” Larsen pointed out.

The bill also addressed emerging diseases and food safety.  It provides $64 million for APHIS to control, manage, and conduct research into ways to eradicate avian (bird) influenza.  The bill also funds $17 million to fund 40,000 tests for “mad cow disease” in Fiscal Year 2007.  And it funds $48 million for research into mad cow disease and $29.6 million for the Food and Drug administration to conduct mad cow-prevention activities.

“This spending bill provides resources to protect our farmers and prevent threats from diseases such as mad cow and avian bird flu from infiltrating our food supply,” Larsen said.

Larsen also praised the inclusion of funds to help with hunger issues in the United States.  Specifically, the bill provides $37.9 billion for the Food Stamps program, $5.2 billion for the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program, and $13.3 billion for School Meal Programs.  It also includes a provision to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program across each of the 50 states.

“Washington suffers from higher than average rates of hunger and food insecurity,” Larsen said.  “The anti-hunger and nutrition programs in this bill serve as a lifeline to many families who struggle to make ends meet”

“For a state that is rich in agriculture, it is unacceptable that nearly 100,000 households in Washington experience food insecurity and are hungry,” said Larsen.  “We absolutely must do more to address the urgent and growing hunger problem across our nation.”

Larsen will be hosting several roundtable discussions and events addressing the issue of hunger across the 2nd Congressional District during the Memorial Day Work period.

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