Farm bill

U.S. Senate Passes Farm Bill; Big Win for Tobacco Growers

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:12:13 GMT

Source: tristatehomepage.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
A major victory for tobacco farmers today. ...

Senate Unanimously Approves Sen. David Vitter’s Really Stupid, Possibly Racist Farm Bill Amendment

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:38:04 GMT

Source: www.mediaite.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
Who knew that the U.S. Senate could still agree on things? An amendment to the current version of the Farm bill caught my eye earlier today, when someone tweeted a link to a Huffington Post entry entitled “ Senator Vitter Offers — and Senate Democrats Accept — Stunning Amendment With Racially Tinged Impacts ,” by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities President Bob Greenstein . The amendment is one of those tough-sounding ideas that seem hard to argue with; the stated purpose of the amendment is to “end food stamp eligibility for convicted violent rapists, pedophiles, and murderers.” Who’s going to vote against that? As it turns out, no one, or at least, not so far. The Senate agreed to the amendment by unanimous consent Thursday. So, who cares about a bunch of convicted rapists and murderers? Here’s why Bob Greenstein says it’s a bad idea, and will have racially disproportionate impact : The amendment would bar from SNAP (food stamps), for life , anyone who was ever convicted of one of a specified list of violent crimes at any time — even if they committed the crime decades ago in their youth and have served their sentence, paid their debt to society, and been a good citizen ever since. In addition, the amendment would mean lower SNAP benefits for their children and other family members. So, a young man who was convicted of a single crime at age 19 who then reforms and is now elderly, poor, and raising grandchildren would be thr ...

Organic Consumer Newsletter: Farm Bill Moves to the Senate: What to Know, What to Do

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:58:00 GMT

Source: www.foodconsumer.org --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
ESSAY OF THE WEEK Farm bill Moves to the Senate: What to Know, What to Do Unless you’re a diehard policy wonk, it may be tough to ...

Donnelly supports a five-year farm bill

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:18:29 GMT

Source: brownfieldagnews.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
During Senate testimony on the Farm bill this week, Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly took to the floor late Wednesday afternoon. “Farmers in Indiana and around the nation need the certainty of a five-year Farm bill that reflects and addresses the... Read the full story... » ...

Senate votes to cut crop insurance help for the wealthiest farmers in five-year farm bill

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:07:04 GMT

Source: www.startribune.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
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Sen. Hagan amends farm bill to address crop fraud

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:49:53 GMT

Source: www.nbcnews.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
A measure championed by U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan adds $5 million in new funding to the 2013 Farm bill to help root out crop insurance fraud. The Senate approved Hagan's amendment Thursday by a vote of 94-0. The money will boost the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency, which is responsible for policing the $120 billion taxpayer-supported program that insures farmers against losses from weather and pests. The North Carolina Democrat introduced the measure after The Associated Press reported in February that federal investigators unraveled a massive scheme by insurance agents, claims adjusters, brokers and farmers in eastern North Carolina to steal about $100 million. Forty-one defendants have either pleaded guilty or reached plea agreements after profiting from false claims on losses of tobacco, soybeans, wheat and corn. "After the largest-ever crop insurance fraud ring was uncovered this year in North Carolina, many North Carolina farmers approached me with concerns that these bad actors, combined with federal budget woes, could mean the end of federal crop insurance," Hagan said Thursday. "I introduced this amendment to support fraud prevention to make sure these honest farmers don't pay the price for the actions of just a few." The federal crop insurance program was created during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s as a way to keep farmers from going bankrupt because of a bad growing season. USDA pays about 15 private ins ...

Sugar amendment to Farm Bill fails in the U.S. Senate

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:29:33 GMT

Source: www.mauinews.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
The U.S. Senate rejected an amendment to the 2013 Farm bill that would have scaled back a Depression-era sugar program that supports domestic prices and protects growers, including Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., from foreign competition. ...

Folks...this is an amendment to the farm bill being debated now. If it passes AN...

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:15:16 GMT

Source: www.facebook.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
Folks...this is an amendment to the Farm bill being debated now. If it passes ANYONE EVERY convicted of a "violent felony" would be barred from food stamps (SNAP). Call your senators and tell them to vote against the amendment. Senate Accepts Deal to Kick Formerly Incarcerated Off Food Benefits - COLORLINES colorlines.com If this amendment ends up in the Farm bill and passes, it would hit African Americans particularly hard. ...

Farm Bill Amendment Limits Crop Insurance Subsidies for Big Farmers

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:28:49 GMT

Source: www.ewg.org --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
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US Farm Bill: House Approves $20.5B Cut To Food Stamps

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:25:16 GMT

Source: www.ibtimes.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
The House just approved $20.5 billion cuts to the federal food stamp program. Which states will feel the pinch the most?. ...

Senate rejects GM food labeling amendment to farm bill

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:00:27 GMT

Source: www.guardian.co.uk --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
Bernie Sanders of Vermont says he will continue to push for declaration on packaging of genetically modified ingredients The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected an amendment that would allow states to require labeling of genetically modified foods. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said his amendment was an attempt to clarify that states can require the labels, as several legislatures have moved toward putting such laws into place. The Vermont house and the Connecticut senate voted this month to make food companies declare genetically modified ingredients on their packages. The Senate rejected the amendment on a 71-27 vote, during debate on a wide-ranging, five-year Farm bill that includes generous supports for crops like corn and soybeans that are often genetically modified varieties. Senators from Farm states that use a lot of genetically modified crops strongly opposed the amendment, saying the issue should be left up to the federal government and that labels could raise costs for consumers. The Food and Drug Administration does not require such labeling, but organic food companies and some consumer groups have stepped up their efforts to lobby for labels, arguing that the modified seeds are floating from field to field and contaminating pure crops. Such groups have been bolstered by a growing network of consumers wary of processed and modified foods. Genetically modified plants are grown from seeds that are engineered ...

Take Action: Help Us Fix the Farm Bill!

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:52:26 GMT

Source: www.facebook.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
Take Action: Help Us Fix the Farm bill! Take Action: Help Us Fix the Farm bill! support.pcrm.org PLEASE contact your senator and ask them to vote YES on Farm bill Amendment 1000 in order to eliminate junk foods from food stamps and promote fruits and veggies. ...

Farm bill: Senate rejects GMO labeling amendment

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:09:13 GMT

Source: seattletimes.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected an amendment that would allow states to require labeling of genetically modified foods. ...

Farm Bill: Time to Make ‘Permanent’ Law A Bad Memory

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:11 GMT

Source: stlouisteaparty.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
The permanent legislation is totally unworkable, and it is ridiculous that Congress has not repealed it. — Robert Thompson, University of Illinois professor emeritus of agricultural policy [R]everting to permanent law would re-introduce a radically different Farm program, one with much higher support prices (through nonrecourse loans instead of payments) that would require much smaller [...] ...

Food stamp cuts at center of farm bill debate

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Source: www.journalgazette.net --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
Food stamps have overshadowed agriculture policy in congressional debate over a five-year Farm bill. The Senate this week rejected Farm bill amendments to cancel food stamp spending reductions, make greater spending cuts and turn the program into grants for states to administer. ...

Farm bill cuts could prompt hungry Americans to beg for foreign aid

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:16:38 GMT

Source: www.allvoices.com --- Thursday, May 23, 2013
Imagine turning on your television and seeing hungry children huddled together wearing rags. Then the voice over the images makes a plea for donations to buy them food so they won't starve. Now imagine that the donations are not destined... ...

SD senators defend pieces of farm bill

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:35:20 GMT

Source: www.mitchellrepublic.com --- Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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Updated farm bill passes to senate floor

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:45:55 GMT

Source: statenews.com --- Wednesday, May 22, 2013
It’s 9:00 a.m. The sun already is peeking through the pallid gray of last night’s rain as workers start feeding the 190 cows chewing hay and grains with lopsided jaws that swing left to right, right to left. ...

Farms are great places to find pork. Apparently, so is the Farm Bill

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:12:41 GMT

Source: www.blacklistednews.com --- Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The Top 5 Things To Know About The Farm bill ...

Coats Calls for Sugar Reform, Planting Flexibility During Farm Bill Debate

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:12:00 GMT

Source: www.coats.senate.gov --- Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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