Posted February 4, 2014
Congress has passed a five-year farm bill after a long,
arduous process that lasted over two years and split the farm-food coalition,
according to a Politico article available here.
The Senate approved the bill with a 68-32 vote and the
bill now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and deputy Krysta
Harden will now move to the forefront, “as they try to put the pieces in place
before spring plantings, just weeks away in some regions of the South.” “Today’s action will allow the proud men and women
who feed millions around the world to invest confidently in the future,”
Vilsack said in a statement released after the Senate vote. “This legislation is important to the entire
nation.”
The bill is predicted to generate about $23 billion in
savings over 10 years. The bill will save
$8 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly
known as food stamps. Other savings
will come from an end to direct farm payments to individuals based on historic
farm production, according to an article by The Hill available here.
The final bill combines proposals for crop insurance,
offering producers a choice between revenue and price-triggered supports. The bill also includes payment limits, “now
capped at $125,000 per individual, or $250,000 per couple.” An overall income cap was also removed from
the bill.
For more information on farm bills, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
