Scaled Down Farm Bill Passes U.S. House

Thursday, the U.S. House passed a scaled down version of the Farm Bill (Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013) by a 216-208 vote.  The Food Stamps provisions contained in the previously struck-down version of the Farm Bill were stripped from the new version.

Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R- TX 19) has been out in front pushing the Farm Bill in the House, "I’m really pleased that we passed a five-year farm bill and moved the ball down the field. This bill is good policy for farmers, families, and taxpayers.  It gives farmers risk management tools to protect against unpredictable losses.  It ensures American families have access to safe, affordable, food.  And it saves taxpayers nearly $14 billion over the next ten years.”

Congressman Mac Thornberry (R- TX 13) also voted for the scaled down Farm Bill, “Agriculture is critical to the economy in our part of Texas, and it is a major lifeline for our country.  Our farmers and ranchers play a vital role in maintaining our nation’s food and fiber supply.  They need to know what our nation’s agriculture policy is going be,” said Rep. Thornberry.  "The hardworking folks in our area deserve better than political gamesmanship from Congress or special interest groups holding this bill hostage to raise their profile and more money."

The Farm Bill now moves on to the U.S. Senate for consideration.