EAST LANSING, Mich. (Feb. 7, 2014) – President Barack Obama was in Michigan choosing the campus of Michigan State University as the setting to sign the Farm Bill into law.
Agriculture is big business in Michigan, and the person credited with helping to push the bill through was U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow a democrat from Michigan.
Like a seed planted a long time ago the Farm Bill took years of negotiation before finally sprouting with bi-partisan support.
President Obama said the law will help people who feed our county and portions of the rest of the world as well.
“Over the past five years, thanks to the know-how of the farmers, the hardest working people in the world, we’ve had the strongest stretch of exports in our history,” the President said.
For Kimberly Kaiser, who lives in a small town three hours north of East Lansing, the day was especially exciting.
“Just the fact that I got to see the President speak is great, but to have it be on the agricultural bill?” she said. “I’m really excited to see the impact back home. I know a lot of people have struggled especially in my little town.”
She wasn’t the only person happy to see President Obama in Michigan. Fellow Democrat Mark Schauer, who is running for governor this November, said the President’s presence is a vote of confidence.
“The bill does a number of important things,” he said. “But the President is here because he is committed to Michigan.”
It’s called the Farm Bill because of the help it provides stability to farmers, but President Obama said this bill goes beyond that.
“A job bill, an innovation bill, an infrastructure bill, a research bill, a conservation bill, like a Swiss Army knife,” he said.
The main components of the bill will cut food stamp spending by $90 a day per household, per month. The bill takes away government subsides for farmers but increases crop insurance.
The President said this is the beginning of what he’s calling a breakthrough year for America.
