Peterson: “Food stamp stuff is going to come out of farm bill”

by | Apr 30, 2018 | 5 Ag Stories, News

The U.S. House of Representatives is in recess this week. However, staging for the farm bill is a hot and heavy debate.

There are clearly two sides of this legislation and they have a deep ditch between them. Republicans, if united, can move the existing House Farm Bill, which passed out of committee without one Democratic vote.

The reason for division is in the food stamp, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provision to require able-bodied recipients to work and/or receive job training to continue the program.

Democrat Colin Peterson (D – MN 7th District) says the origin of this language came from Speaker Paul Ryan, who had designated welfare reform as his number two objective, behind tax reform.

Republicans passed the tax bill and it is now law, but the welfare provisions of the House Farm Bill may not make it into the Senate bill, according to Peterson. His comments in the program below.

AUDIO: Profit Matters 4-30-18

Colin Peterson, ranking democrat member of the House Agriculture Committee, spoke to farm broadcasters last week in Washington, D.C. The short-term versus long-term strategies of both parties translate into the old saying: ?Win the battle, but lose the war.?