Congress Makes Headway on Farm Bill Reauthorization

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.