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Farm Bill Passes Senate With Bipartisan Support

agriculture - field

The Senate voted to pass the farm bill Monday evening with a bipartisan vote of 66 to 27.

The bill includes cuts to SNAP benefits, commonly called food stamps. The House is expected to make much deeper cuts to SNAP -- $20 billion over ten years versus the Senate's proposed $4.1 billion.

It also proposes eliminating $5 billion in subsidies given to farmers whether they farm or not. Crop insurance will become the fallback for these farmers instead -- a program heavily subsidized by the government.

The bill maintains significant subsidies for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sugar, and other major U.S. crops. It add subsides for peanut and rice farmers, something not seen in last year's version of the bill.

The Senate version of the bill also has provisions for international food aid, dairy price stabilization, and protection of land considered environmentally concerning.

The House has said it will work on its version of the farm bill this month.

Read More:



  • Senate passes five-year farm bill (CBS News)
  • Senate Passes Farm Bill; House Vote Is Less Sure (New York Times)


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