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New version strips welfare and nutritional programs leaving the legislation to focus solely on the agricultural industry. 
 

Washington, Jul 11 -

Tuesday the US House voted in favor of a modified FARRM bill, HR 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013. Unlike the earlier version of the FARRM bill that failed to pass the House in late June, the updated version removed the authorization for food stamp and nutrition focused programs.  These programs have been growing on autopilot and  currently encompass 80% of total spending.  The updated version focuses solely on the reauthorization of funding for agriculture, conservation, rural development and other programs for the FY 2014 to FY 2018 period.

U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo) was pleased to see the appropriately focused farm legislation head to and pass the US House.

“This FARRM bill delivers for Wyoming’s farmers and ranchers and ensures a future for our country’s food producers in a fiscally responsible manner,” Rep. Lummis said. “It ended agricultural payments to farmers who no longer farm, focusing instead on risk management, and consolidated duplicative programs to save money.  However, Congress still must address long overdue welfare and nutrition reforms in order to save the country millions.  Talks on those reforms are ongoing.”