This year’s version of the federal farm bill is stalled in the U.S. House after being passed by the House Agriculture Committee three months ago. Western Missouri Congressman Mark Alford, who sits on that committee, said the bill would maintain many programs crucial to farmers.
“It’s a bipartisan bill that’s going to make sure that our farmers and producers have safety nets they need to do business,” he told Missourinet affiliate KMMO in Marshall. “(There are) some reforms to the SNAP program, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, (to) try to reduce some of the waste, abuse, and fraud in that program. And (it would) expand our conservation programs as well.”
Alford said he and other Republicans on the House Ag Committee will push for House passage of the bill next month.
“We’ve got to do our job in a bipartisan manner to make sure that this passes in the House,” he said. “I’m fairly confident it will.”
As for the farm bill’s fate in the Senate, Alford said it will depend on how Americans vote in November.
“The question is, will the Senate do anything? They haven’t done anything so far,” Alford said. “(Democratic U.S. Senator) Debbie Stabenow, who’s leaving, a senator from Michigan, the chair of the Ag Committee over on the Senate side, doesn’t have much interest right now in getting a farm bill passed.”
Alford suggested that Senate Democrats would be more agreeable to quickly passing a farm bill if Donald Trump wins back the White House in November. He made those comments during a town hall meeting in west-central Missouri’s Marshall.
By Kyle Hill of Missourinet affiliate KMMO in Marshall
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