Senate Set to Send Farm Bill to Obama
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is preparing to send President Barack Obama a massive, five-year farm bill that provides food for the needy and subsidies for the nation's farmers.
The Senate is expected to pass the almost $100 billion-a-year compromise bill Tuesday after the House passed it last week. The bill provides a financial cushion for farmers who face unpredictable weather and market conditions and makes a limited cut to food stamps, which supplement meal costs for 1 in 7 Americans.
The final bill would get rid of controversial subsidies known as direct payments, which are paid to farmers whether they farm or not. Most of that program's $4.5 billion annual cost would be redirected into new subsidies that would kick in when a farmer has losses.