"Senate Passes Farm Bill With Bipartisan Support"

"WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a sweeping new farm bill on Thursday that would cost nearly $1 trillion over the next 10 years, financing dozens of price support and crop insurance programs for farmers and food assistance for low-income families."

"The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, 64 to 35. It now goes to the House, where it faces a much tougher road because conservative lawmakers want to make deeper cuts in the food stamp program, which serves about 45 million Americans. 'This bill represents significant reform,' said Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan and chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. 'It cuts subsidies, it cuts the deficit and it creates jobs.' ...

Although the bill is known as the farm bill, the majority of the spending, about $80 billion a year, goes to the food stamp program. The Senate bill would cut a total of $23.6 billion from current spending levels, including about $4.5 billion from food stamps, but senators rejected several proposals that would have made even deeper cuts."

Ron Nixon reports for the New York Times June 21, 2012.

SEE ALSO:

"Md. Senators: Farm Bill Retains Bay Protections" (AP)

"Senate Overhauls Farm Bill, But Time Running Out" (Reuters)

"The Farm Bill Passes the Senate — and It’S Not All Bad News" (Grist)

"Senate OKs Huge Farm Bill, Puts House GOP On Spot" (San Francisco Chronicle)

"Senate Passes Farm Bill That Curtails Aid" (Wall St. Journal)

"Senate Overhauls Farm Bill, But Time Running Out" (Reuters)