Food Stamps Loom Over Negotiations to Pass Farm Bill

[Purveyor]

By Alan Bjerga and Derek Wallbank - Oct 30, 2013

U.S. lawmakers meeting today to reconcile House and Senate versions of agricultural policy legislation will find the table crowded with members who have deeply held and widely divergent views on food stamps.

The tension is underscored by conferees the House leadership has added to the House-Senate negotiating committee: Tea Party Republican Representative Steve Southerland of Florida and Representative Marcia Fudge of Ohio, chairwoman of the all-Democrat Congressional Black Caucus.

With a new law needed before outmoded programs potentially double milk prices early next year, both President Barack Obama and House Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor have called for passage of a bill. The appointment of conferees from outside traditional rural constituencies -- and who are polar opposites on food stamps -- shows the law may not be the place where a new era of deal-making will dawn.

“It wouldn’t come as any surprise if the nutrition title is the toughest thing to negotiate,” said Representative Michael Conaway, a Texas Republican and conferee.

Spending on food stamps, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the biggest conflict surrounding the bill, which benefits processors including Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM) and insurance companies such as Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) along with grocers including SuperValu Inc. (SVU) By subsidizing food purchases, the farm bill encourages production, while its conservation and economic development programs promote rural business growth and a cleaner environment.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-30/food-stamps-loom-over-negotiations-to-pass-farm-bill.html

[geek tragedy]

1. Pretty simple--they shoot our hostage (SNAP) we shoot theirs (farm states

and big ag).

Let's hope they decide to release our hostage.

[ieoeja]

2. I don't get why this is *not* where the two sides agree.

Farm subsidies help keep food prices lower. As such they are a form of food stamp in their own way.

Food stamps are spent on food which is grown on farms. As such they are a form of farm subsidy in their own way.


Frankly, I've never understood why so many people agree on one, but not both. They both subsidize both farming and eating.