The 2007 Farm Bill hit the Senate floor yesterday, and at stake are billions of dollars and the health of millions of Americans. Utne Reader has been gearing up for the fight over the bill for a while now, having published a breakdown of the issues back in March/April 2006. “If you care about wetlands, or advocate for the hungry, or believe in better nutrition for school children, or just want to keep breathing clean air,” Scott Carlson wrote, “you should pay attention to the Farm Bill.”
Now the debate is heating up. “This is not just a farm bill,” said Democratic Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “It’s a food bill, and Americans who eat want a stake in it.” Harkin’s strong words haven’t translated into strong actions, though, according to