New Version of Farm Bill has Substantial Reform

Summary

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There has been a lot of rhetoric about the new farm bill, H.R. 2419, which was passed last week by both the U.S. House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. Much of that rhetoric has been inaccurate. It seems that even in a major agricultural state such as Indiana, many people have little understanding of the farm bill, its importance to farmers both large and small, and its importance to everybody who is interested in conservation and in food aid for the needy - and to everybody who eats.

As has been pointed out repeatedly, the bill is a $300 billion package. However, what few people seem to notice is that almost all of that money goes to non-farm programs: food assistance and nutrition programs for needy Americans, programs to help conserve our natural resources, food safety and support for rural communities.

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Extract

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New Version of Farm Bill has Substantial Reform

Only 17 percent of the package is devoted to the farm safety net - which makes up just 1...

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