Sept 19 - House Passes Nutrition Title of Farm Bill

Smith Votes for Nutrition Title Reforms to the Farm Bill

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) issued the following statement today after voting in favor of H.R. 3102, the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013:

“Completing a new long-term Farm Bill is among my highest priorities.  The House-passed nutrition title would make important reforms to focus food stamp assistance for families in need, help beneficiaries become more self-sufficient, and save $40 billion for taxpayers over the next ten years.  Importantly, these reforms would not deny benefits to those who meet existing income and asset requirements.

“While progress on a new Farm Bill has been uneven and at times frustrating, today’s vote is a positive development.  I remain committed and optimistic we will get this done.”

Background:
The Farm Bill typically includes both farm and nutrition policy.  The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2642, a revised Farm Bill without the nutrition title on July 11, 2013.  The House-passed Farm Bill and nutrition title will need to be sent to a conference committee between the House and Senate.

The Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act would:
•         Ensure work requirements for able-bodied adults without children are more fully enforced
•         Eliminate the ability of individuals to be deemed “categorically eligible” when they don’t meet the income or asset requirements for public assistance
•         Prevent gaming of the system through the “heat-and-eat loophole” whereby food stamp benefits are increased above what individuals are entitled to received
•         Prevent taxpayer funded advocacy campaigns designed to sell people on enrolling in the food stamp program
•         Empower states to engage able-bodied parents in work and job training as part of receiving assistance.



NMPF Statement on House Passage of the Farm Bill’s Nutrition Program
Jim Mulhern, Chief Operating Officer, NMPF:

“Now that the House has passed its nutrition policy portion of the farm bill, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) urges House leaders to quickly appoint conferees who should, with their counterparts in the Senate, finish work on a new farm bill and get it passed into law.  It’s harvest time outside of Washington; it needs to be on Capitol Hill as well.

For the nation’s dairy farmers, it is critical for agriculture leaders in the House and Senate to include in the 2013 farm bill the provisions of the Dairy Security Act, which has already been approved this year by both the House and Senate Agriculture committees.

The Dairy Security Act will provide dairy farmers with a cost-effective safety net, while protecting consumers and taxpayers at the same time.  Dairy producers have been waiting two years to know the details of the federal dairy safety net. They need this information to make business decisions. Along with the rest of American agriculture, milk producers nationwide urge lawmakers to take this critical last step in the evolution of a better farm program.”



NCBA Urges House and Senate to Pass the 2013 Farm Bill

Today the  U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3102, the House nutrition title as part of the 2013 Farm Bill. Passage of the 2013 Farm Bill remains the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's (NCBA) top priority for Congress to finalize.

“We are pleased that the House is one step closer towards passage of the farm bill and we encourage the House to appoint conferees to work out the differences between the House and Senate bills.” said Scott George, NCBA president and Cody Wyo., cattle and dairy producer. “Passage of the farm bill is the top priority as set by our membership and we will continue to work with Congress to pass a farm bill that meets the needs of cattle producers and guarantees certainty for rural America.”

The current extension of the 2008 farm bill is set to expire Sept. 30, reverting farm policy back to permanent law.



Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement on today’s House vote on nutrition assistance:

“Today's vote was a highly partisan step that does nothing to promote a bipartisan, comprehensive Farm Bill and stands no chance of becoming law. The harmful plan championed today by House leadership would deny critical nutrition assistance for millions of Americans, including working families with children, senior citizens, veterans, and adults who are still looking for work. The Senate has passed a bipartisan Farm Bill two years running. Now it's time for House leadership to do their part by appointing conferees as soon as possible and completing the comprehensive bill that farmers, ranchers and rural Americans deserve.”