Minnesota Land Stewardship Project members are pleased to hear Senate Ag Chairman Pat Roberts who chairs the conference committee intends to begin farm bill discussions September 5. He says conference committee staff members have been working on the differences between the House and Senate measures and have made progress on conservation. LSP Federal Policy Organizer Ben Anderson is encouraged about that progress but wants to know more details.
He says farmers who’ve been facing many economic challenges need solid conservation programs in place.
While conference staff members have made progress on conservation there’s been no other progress reported so the main sticking point of work requirements for the SNAP program remain. Anderson says his group backs the Senate version of SNAP and is against the work requirements the House farm bill is calling for.
Anderson says conferees will have to work quickly to get a farm bill passed before the current one expires at the end of September..
