farm bill

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Defeat of Farm Bill Is a Blow to GOP Leaders

It combined strict work requirements for food stamp recipients with a renewal of farm subsidies

(Newser) - In an embarrassment for House Republican leaders, conservatives on Friday scuttled a bill that combines stricter work and job training requirements for food stamp recipients with a renewal of farm subsidies popular in GOP-leaning farm country, reports the AP . Hard-right conservatives upset over the party's stalled immigration agenda opposed...

Massive Farm Bill Passes After 3-Year Fight

Foods stamps cut, but by far less than Republicans wanted

(Newser) - Congress has given its final approval to a sweeping five-year farm bill that provides food for the needy and subsidies for farmers. Ending years of political battles, the Senate today sent the measure to President Obama for his signature with a 68-32 vote. The bill provides a financial cushion for...

House Passes Long-Stalled Farm Bill

Senate expected to send it to president for signature

(Newser) - The House has passed an almost $100 billion-a-year, compromise farm bill that would make small cuts to food stamps and continue generous subsidies for the nation's farmers. The vote was 251-166. The five-year bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to send it to the president's...

$1T Farm Bill Slashes Subsidies, Food Stamps

Bipartisan measure is 2 years overdue

(Newser) - In another outburst of things actually getting done on Capitol Hill, House and Senate negotiators have rolled out a bipartisan farm bill—only two years overdue. The nearly $1 trillion, five-year bill cuts federal spending by around $23 billion, including about $8 billion from the food stamp program.
  • The bill
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We Don't Need a Farm Bill Anymore
We Don't Need
a Farm Bill Anymore
OPINION
Dec 17, 2013 7:19 PM CST

We Don't Need a Farm Bill Anymore

Charles Lane: It's an out-of-date and expensive 'monstrosity'

(Newser) - In what is being hailed by many as a sign of progress in DC, House and Senate negotiators are finally poised to pass a farm bill next month. But at the Washington Post , Charles Lane has a fundamental question: Why does the US even need a farm bill? The answer,...

Do-Nothing Congress Has Lots to Do This Month

Senate, House will only be in town together for a few days

(Newser) - Here's a list of things Congress must get done in December or else: Confirm Janet Yellen's Fed nomination; pass a new farm bill; fund the Pentagon; renew a ban on hard-to-detect plastic guns; and extend some unemployment benefits, help for workers displaced by global trade, and a set...

House OKs Farm Bill, Without Food Stamps

Republicans split them, will tackle food stamp cuts later

(Newser) - The House today passed a scaled-down version of a massive farm bill, putting off a fight over food stamp spending and giving Republican leaders a victory after a decisive defeat on the larger bill last month. GOP leaders scrambled to get the bill to the floor and gather enough votes...

What Bills Can Congress Pass?

John Oliver reveals them in musical tribute

(Newser) - Congress knocked down a farm bill for the first time in 40 years last week, with Republicans arguing it cost too much, and Democrats saying it cut too much from food stamps. So is there anything that Congress will actually offer bipartisan support anymore? asked John Oliver on last night'...

Rising From the Farm Bill's Ashes: Hemp

Amendment to legalize it for research purposes passed, and it will be raised again

(Newser) - It's looking more and more likely that US farmers will be getting back into the hemp-growing business. The latest hopeful sign for advocates came when the House passed an amendment that would make it legal for universities to grow hemp for research purposes—an important step if farmers ever...

Farm Bill's Flop Might Mean Trouble on Immigration

Even supposedly easy legislation can't pass in the House: Pundits

(Newser) - The House couldn't pass a farm bill? What should have been the legislative equivalent of a no-brainer instead got shot down this week because of a partisan fight over proposed food stamp cuts and rule changes. This could well mean trouble for the much thornier immigration overhaul when it...

Seriously? We Can't Even Cut Farm Subsidies?
Seriously? We Can't Even
Cut Farm Subsidies?
Robert Samuelson
Jan 7, 2013 1:45 PM CST

Seriously? We Can't Even Cut Farm Subsidies?

Robert Samuelson says farm handouts exemplify our broken system

(Newser) - Farm subsidies are widely seen as the "low hanging fruit" of federal spending cuts, but with the milk cliff looming, Congress last week passed an agriculture bill that left them all essentially intact . And that, in a nutshell, is "the essence of the deficit problem," writes Robert...

Lawmakers Agree to Avert Milk Cliff—If They Have Time

But don't worry, slow USDA might make it a moot point

(Newser) - In a desperate bid to avoid the dreaded " milk cliff ," House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders have agreed to just extend the 2008 farm bill for another year—assuming they can get around to doing so. Given the drama surrounding that other cliff, House Republican leaders tell CBS...

Congress Gets to Work on Milk Cliff

...But will likely extend unpopular agriculture subsidies in the process

(Newser) - Fiscal cliff negotiations may be going nowhere fast, but the House and Senate agriculture committees are poised to temporarily avert another pressing crisis: the milk cliff . The two committees are drafting a short-term extension of as many as 37 expiring agriculture provisions, including one staving off a 1945 law that...

Why Milk Could Hit $8 a Gallon
 Why Milk Could Hit $8 a Gallon 
Dec 21, 2012 11:14 AM CST

Why Milk Could Hit $8 a Gallon

Old law could be reinstated if Congress can't reach compromise

(Newser) - If Congress doesn't get its act together soon, old laws will cost all of America dearly—we're speaking, of course, of the Milk Cliff. If legislators don't take a break from fiscal cliff negotiations/posturing and pass a new farm bill by Jan. 1, the government will be...

Feds to Buy $170M in Food From Farmers

Purchases for food banks to get quick cash to farmers

(Newser) - With American farms suffering from an ongoing and brutal drought , President Obama will today announce a plan to buy $170 million in pork, lamb, chicken, and catfish to help beleaguered farmers by providing immediate cash, reports Reuters . The announcement will be made at a campaign stop in Iowa, a state...

House Ditches Huge Farm Aid Bill, Leaves for Recess

House passes stopgap measure, but Senate wouldn't take it up

(Newser) - It's August and many Americans are taking well-earned summer vacations. And then there's Congress. House lawmakers took off for their August recess yesterday after refusing to consider a five-year measure to aid America's stricken farmers, reports the New York Times . Instead, they passed a stopgap $383 million...

Food Prices Could Jump 4% in 2013

And losses could hit $12B

(Newser) - For the average consumer, the effects of this year's brutal drought are still months away, but they are coming, as many food prices next year are expected to jump by as much as 4%, reports Reuters . Already corn and soy prices are going up , which is expected to lead...

Senate Clears Huge Farm Policy Overhaul

Sens. Debbie Stabenow, Pat Roberts lead bipartisan effort

(Newser) - The Senate approved a historic farm bill today that eliminates all cash payments to producers, but invests massively in food stamps and crop insurance, Politico reports. The overall bill: $1 trillion over 10 years, which means $24 billion in savings, the New York Times says. The bill was forged by...

John McCain Livid Over Popcorn Subsidy

Trying to kill pork project of strangely silent Nebraska senators

(Newser) - Nebraska's two senators have been quiet—you might even say sneaky—about inserting a provision to help popcorn growers into the new farm bill. Both are on the Agriculture Committee, and they slid a provision into the bill saying that the Agriculture secretary "may" consider revenue insurance subsidies...

Agricultural Economist Has Growing Concerns

The insanity of farm subsidies just one facet of wide-ranging Q&A with Daniel Sumner

(Newser) - Is there any way to justify US farm subsidies? Agricultural economist Daniel Sumner has a blunt answer: “No.” In an in-depth interview with the New York Times, Sumner takes on a broad range of agricultural topics, explaining the trouble with organic food (it’s too expensive), the problems...

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