With passage of the farm bill, we've demonstrated a commitment to preserving our family farms and the rural communities that depend on them. This Farm Bill is a well-crafted piece of legislation that reflects the complexities of American agriculture and demonstrates what can be accomplished when people of goodwill set out to do something.

Chris Hackett called the Farm Bill "wasteful spending," and declared he would have voted against it. Hackett's sponsor, The Club for Growth, decried the bill as bad spending, and fought against its passage. Hackett's position doesn't reflect the values of our district, our communities, or our family farms. If he won't fight for our family farms, he won't fight for our future.

As I travel around our district in northeast and central Pennsylvania and talk to farmers, they tell me they're concerned about fuel prices, feed prices and competing with corporate farmers. That is why I fought to make sure the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program was included in the final version of the Farm Bill. I fought for MILC because it is the most important safety net for our hardworking family farmers-escalating prices have made it harder for our farmers to compete and survive.

The MILC provision in the Farm Bill now includes a cost adjuster to allow the MILC target price to fluctuate based on feed prices. Farmers don't set their own prices - they must accept the price given to them.

The feed-cost adjuster was a win for our dairy farmers, a win for our rural communities, and also a win for our region, which will see significant economic gains from the steady supply of domestic milk. The improved MILC program is an investment in our family farmers, our heritage and our future.

The Farm Bill recognizes the importance of farmers to our local economy, including the money they bring to our region and the prosperity they keep here. Agriculture is the number one industry in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, production agriculture and agribusiness contributes nearly $45 billion to Pennsylvania's economy. Agriculture is indeed the backbone of the local economy in northeast and central Pennsylvania.

The Farm Bill, as passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, has an array of bipartisan supporters, including the American Farmland Trust, the American Meat Institute, AARP, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc, Dairylea Cooperative Inc, National Conservation District Employees Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Market Coalition, National Grange, Pennsylvania Association of Regional Food Banks Inc, Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Council of Churches.

The Pennsylvania Council of Churches and other religious leaders in Pennsylvania took an active role, urging Congress to work for equity in the Farm Bill. In a letter to both Pennsylvania Senators, Bishops and clergy asked that the nutrition programs be expanded.

Finally, supporters of the Farm Bill came out from all sides of the political spectrum to override the President's veto. It is truly amazing what we can accomplish if both sides come together to do good work.
Taking care of our farmers isn't a partisan issue-that is why Democrats and Republicans alike supported this important legislation and we stood together to override the President's veto.

While no piece of legislation is perfect, this Farm Bill passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate with veto-proof majorities. Nearly all of Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation supported the Farm Bill - with 17 of 19 of the Members of Congress voting to support it and both Senator Bob Casey and Arlen Specter.

This Farm Bill is an important investment in Pennsylvania, in our family farms, in our children, and in our future.
I'm proud to have been part of it.

Congressman Chris Carney (D-Dimock) represents the 10th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.