Senate Ag Passes Farm Bill

After nearly a year of dormancy, debate on the next farm bill is alive and well once again in the halls of Congress. The Senate Ag Committee took action Tuesday morning and passed its version of the farm bill, the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, moving it onto the Senate floor.

The CBO score shows that the Senate bill would reduce federal spending by more than $24 billion over the next ten years. You can view a summary of the bill at: http://www.ag.senate.gov/issues/farm-bill

“There is still plenty of work left, but yesterday’s action on the farm bill is a significant step in the right direction as it continues to support crucial programs like crop insurance and risk management for farmers, while also making responsible cuts to federal spending with the elimination of direct payments,” said South Dakota Corn Executive Director Lisa Richardson. “With only a short-term extension in place, we hope this positive momentum will carry forward and bring our farmers the certainty they need with a long-term, common-sense farm bill.”

Action on the farm bill began today in the House Ag Committee. The House draft, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 is expected to reduce spending by approximately $40 billion over the next 10 years. For more on the House version, visit: http://agriculture.house.gov/press-release/lucas-peterson-release-house-farm-bill-saves-nearly-40-billion