WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bill to replace the current Farm Bill once it expires next year failed in the US House on Friday.
The House voted 213-198 against the bill, even though the bill had support from three of the state’s four Congressmen, including First District Congressman Roger Marshall — who later said the result showed there is still a lot of work ahead to create a Farm Bill that has overwhelming support.
The bill was also supported by several farm lobby groups, but the inclusion of a work requirement caused the bill to lose support among Democrats. The version as championed by House Republicans would have enacted a 20-hour work minimum per week, along with mandated job training, to be eligible for the SNAP program — commonly called food stamps. Democrats said that could force up to 2 million people out of the SNAP program.
The proposal would also have cut conservation programs by around $800 million over 10 years, but it would also have given ag producers a chance to exceed some subsidy limits.
Farm bills typically last five years, with the legislation covering farm subsidies, conservation programs and payments, rural development and food stamps. The Senate will be working on its own option, and the work requirement may have a hard time making it into the final version.
