This week, the Senate overwhelmingly passed their version of the farm bill in a bipartisan 86-11 vote, which will set up a House-Senate conference to reconcile the two chambers’ bills. Both the House and Senate will be out of session next week for the July 4th district work period.
MGFPA joined more than 27 business associations, owners, and advocates this morning to launch the Vote NO on Question One campaign. The $310 million income tax referendum scam that over promises and under delivers in Maine.
H.R. 2, the “Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018,” finally cleared the House Floor yesterday afternoon by a vote of 213-211. The bill failed to pass the House in May by a vote of 198-213. No Democrats voted for the House Farm Bill in May or yesterday.
The House Farm Bill, contains several significant wins for independent grocers.
The Senate Agriculture Committee marked up its version of the Farm Bill earlier this month, and it is expected to head to the Senate Floor for a vote before the Independence Day recess.
The current Farm Bill does not expire until September 30.
“Yesterday, the Senate Agriculture Committee favorably reported the 2018 Farm Bill (S. 3042) cleared its committee with a 20–1 vote. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was the only dissenting vote on the bill.
Every five years Congress must past a Farm Bill that sets agriculture, nutrition, conservation and forestry policy. The current farm bill is set to expire in September, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has vowed to bring the 2018 Farm Bill to the Senate floor for a vote before the July 4 holiday.