Critical Legislation to Aid Farmers and Ranchers, Offer Opportunities to SNAP Recipients The House passed the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2), critical legislation to address the economic challenges facing the nation’s farmers and ranchers, while making significant investments in opportunities for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Upon passage, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11)issued the following …
House Farm Bill Still Uncertain
Uncertainty remains regarding the House version of the farm bill, as the Senate will markup its version in committee this week. House Republicans are busy trying to craft an immigration agreement, which a group of legislators are demanding by blocking a vote on the farm bill, and previously helping to vote down the bill. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway …
Perdue, Conaway, and Groups Comment on Farm Bill Vote
Perdue on Farm Bill Vote in House of Representatives U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the initial vote on the 2018 Farm Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives: “A Farm Bill is necessary to provide our farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers with the stability and predictability they need. Our farmers feed the people of …
Farm Bill May Have Enough Votes in House for Passage
The farm bill may have enough votes in the House of Representatives for passage. Politico reports that as the bill is expected to be brought to the House floor this week for consideration, some senior Republicans think House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway has the votes to pass the bill. That comes as Democrats in the House have been urged to …
House Will Take Up Farm Bill This Week
Kevin McCarthy, majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, says Congress will take up the farm bill debate sometime within the week. The House schedule has the week’s session running from Tuesday through Friday. The House Rules Committee has issued a notice that it expects to “grant a rule that may provide a structured amendment process for floor consideration …
House Democrats Want to Review Farm Bill Draft
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. Roll 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 …
Ag Committee Leaders Praise Bipartisan Budget Act
Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts says the Bipartisan Budget Act passed in both chambers of Congress benefits Americans in many ways. It avoids a government shutdown, raises military funding, contains disaster assistance for several states that were hit hard by natural disasters, and improves livestock assistance programs. Roberts says, “In addition to disaster assistance for states hit hard by …
Conaway Wants Farm Bill Movement Next Month
House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway this week expressed his desire to see mark-up and a vote on the farm bill by the end of March in the House of Representatives. Conaway says that timetable would leave plenty of time to work out differences with the Senate version of the bill and ensure new legislation is finalized before the farm …
Conaway Wants Cotton and Dairy Fix on Any Must-Pass Bill
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway says Congress should attach provisions to help cotton and dairy farmers to any must-pass bill before the farm bill comes up. Speaking at the Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention Monday in Phoenix, Arizona, Conaway signaled that he is no longer focused on just convincing the Senate to include the aid in the disaster bill, according …
NAFTA Not Moving Quick Enough
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway echoed comments made last week by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, saying the negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement are not moving fast enough. Conaway stated: “Perdue hit the nail on the head when he said we need to stop circling the ring in NAFTA negotiations and begin laying out concrete agriculture proposals.” He …