US farm bill expires while lawmakers continue negotiations

Lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement on the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act, also known as the farm bill, before the 2014 law expired over the weekend.

popaukropa, BigStock.com
popaukropa, BigStock.com

Lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement on the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act, also known as the farm bill, before the 2014 law expired over the weekend.

Without a new farm bill, programs like crop insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue, but many other programs lose authorization and funding beginning October 1.

Last week, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who sits on the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee, said negotiations had “taken a turn” in the wrong direction and that she didn’t think an agreement was likely to be reached this year.

The point of contention in the farm bill is over work requirements for Americans who receive government nutrition assistance from SNAP, also known as food stamps. The version of the bill that passed the U.S. Senate in June did not include changes to SNAP that were included in the House bill.

Lawmakers also disagree on Title 1, which sets the terms for farm program subsidies.

The House and Senate need to reconcile their two bills before a final bill can be sent to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.

The Senate version passed by a bipartisan 86-11 vote, while no Democrats voted for the House version.

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