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House Democrats Want to Review Farm Bill Draft

Dan Farm Bill, Industry News Release

Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee have asked ranking member Collin Peterson to stop negotiating on the farm bill until Chairman Mike Conaway releases the bill to the full committee.

houseRoll Call reports Peterson is heeding the request, and says the move “will give the members information about what is actually being proposed.”

The proposed farm bill reportedly included many changes and cuts to the nutrition title, and Democrats “unanimously oppose” the changes described to them and reported in the press, according to Peterson.

Committee Democrats question the changes, stating: “At no point during the committee’s 23 hearings on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) was there testimony in favor of radical reforms to SNAP.”

Chairman Conaway had hoped to begin markup on the farm bill in committee this month.

As others have pointed out, the proposed farm bill seems similar to the current farm bill, which originally included changes to the nutrition title, but failed to pass a vote in the House.

From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.