Congress Makes Headway on Farm Bill Reauthorization
July 20, 2012
Summary
On
June 21, 2012, the Senate approved the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of
2012 (S. 3240),
which would reauthorize the nation’s agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and
forestry programs. The current farm bill is set to expire on September 30, 2012.
Not long after the Senate’s action, the House Committee on Agriculture approved
its version of the farm bill (H.R. 6083) on
July 12, 2012. The farm bill contains authorizations for several state
programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), The
Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), research and extension activities, and
the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG). This Issue
Brief provides details on the program changes, funding levels, and new
provisions of importance to states in both the House and Senate proposals.
