"Negotiators agreed Monday evening on a new five-year Farm Bill that slashes about $23 billion in federal spending by ending direct payments to farmers, consolidating dozens of Agriculture Department programs and by cutting about $8 billion in food stamp assistance."
"House leaders said they planned to pass the 950-page bill by Wednesday evening -- meaning that for the second time in two weeks lawmakers will vote a bill running hundreds of pages just hours after its formal release. Congress already passed a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending package this month within days of its release and with little formal debate.
But the Farm Bill is already more than two years overdue and a final version has been delayed for several weeks amid haggling over the finer details of government support programs for the dairy industry, concerns with payments to the managers and owners of family farms and labeling for livestock born in other countries but slaughtered in the United States."
Ed O'Keefe reports for the Washington Post January 27, 2014.
SEE ALSO:
"Farm Bill Compromise Will Change Programs and Reduce Spending" (New York Times)
"Farm Bill Agreement Reached By House, Senate Negotiators" (AP)
"New Farm Bill Readied for Final Debate" (Politico)
"New Bipartisan Farm Bill Emerges From Long Debate In Congress" (NPR)
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