House Republicans
successfully passed a Farm Bill Thursday by splitting apart funding for food
stamps from federal agricultural policy.
Lawmakers voted 216 to 208
make changes to federal agricultural policy and conservation programs and end
direct subsidy payments to farmers. But the measure says nothing about funding
for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, which historically
constitutes about 80 percent of the funding in a Farm Bill.
The American Farm Bureau Federation
Board voted unanimously Wednesday to reaffirm the position taken two days ago
to oppose splitting the nutrition title of the bill from the remainder of the
Farm Bill.
AFBF President Bob Stallman has
released the following statement:
“The American Farm Bureau
Federation looks forward to moving ahead with fundamental farm policy
legislation, following House passage today of H.R. 2642. While we don’t yet
know what the next steps will be, we will be working with both sides of the
aisle and both chambers of Congress to ensure passage of a new five-year farm
bill.
“While we were hopeful the
farm bill would not be split, nor permanent law repealed, we will now focus our
efforts on working with lawmakers to deliver a farm bill to the president’s
desk for his signature by September.”
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