"This bill charts a promising new course for farm, conservation and rural development policies. It is a marked departure from Freedom to Farm that will protect farm income, conserve our resources and provide a boost for rural job growth and rural communities," said Harkin. "Iowans will find a great deal to like in this farm bill. It is a substantial movement toward a more reliable and sustainable approach to farm policy, one which protects farm families in times of low prices and encourages them to be good stewards of the land."

Harkin priorities included in the farm bill agreement are:

• RESTORES THE FARM SAFETY NET: One of the biggest problems with Freedom to Farm was that it provided no assistance to farmers when prices were low. The farm bill will contain a strong counter-cyclical safety net which will protect farm income when prices fall below targeted levels.

• INCREASES FOCUS ON CONSERVATION: Harkin lead the fight to make conservation programs a central part of the new farm bill. As a result, the new farm bill will include an 80 percent increase in conservation funding over the current law. Included in the conservation title is Harkin’s plan to create a voluntary program of incentives for working agricultural lands, the Conservation Security Program. The farm bill will provide $2 billion for Harkin’s initiative and it will become a groundbreaking new approach to farm policy.

• STRENGTHENS RURAL COMMUNITIES: Rural communities have not shared in the economic prosperity of the past decade. As a result, hundreds of small towns lag far behind urban areas in terms of economic development, job creation and technology. The farm bill will provide an additional $1 billion for equity capital programs, water and sewer projects, rural broadband access and starting value-added enterprises.

• PROMOTES FARM BASED RENEWABLE ENERGY: Renewable energy will be a key component for America’s future energy policy. It is also an important economic tool for rural America. The farm bill provides more than $400 million to promote bioenergy production, create grant and loan programs so farmers can purchase energy systems and will promote purchases of biobased products by federal agencies.