"Every day, my neighbors tell me about the sacrifices they are making to cope with the skyrocketing cost not only of gas, but also food," said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a Baltimore Democrat. "The prices of milk and eggs are significantly higher than they were 30 years ago, and we need to adjust the food stamp minimum accordingly."
The inclusion of money for the bay was backed by a coalition of lawmakers, governors and environmental advocates from the bay watershed states who came together last year to compete for attention with the large agribusiness operations that typically dominate farm bill negotiations.
Maryland's Democratic senators praised the measure. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski called the money "a major victory for the farmers and families who rely on the bay." Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin said it is going to make "a major difference."
"We've always done well in the farm bill for programs that have been important, particularly to the agricultural community as it relates to the Chesapeake Bay," Cardin said. "But having a specific program, where you don't have to compete, it's strictly for the bay, it's a major statement of commitment by the federal government."
Rep. John Sarbanes called the timing "perfect."
"It's coming at a moment when there's a lot of heightened awareness of the need to attend to the bay and to the watershed on the part of everyday citizens that are part of the 16 million people in the watershed," the Baltimore Democrat said. "By demonstrating that the federal government is ready to make a commitment, it's inviting and challenging private citizens to stop forward into a real partnership."
The entire Maryland delegation voted for the bill.
While states such as Maryland and Virginia have pots of money to upgrade sewage treatment plants and control some of the pollution associated with population growth, they have not found comparable funding to address the nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from fertilizer used to grow corn, soybeans and other crops.
The pollutants cause algae blooms, which block the light that grasses need to grow and deprive small fish and worms of the oxygen they need to breathe. Agriculture also kicks up a lot of sediment, which fills in wetlands and contributes to poor water quality.
For years, farmers across the 64,000-square-mile watershed have been using different techniques to control the runoff, among them planting grass buffers around streams, using cover crops and placing land that's marginally productive into conservation programs. Scientists know which techniques work, but willing participants are often turned away for lack of funding.
