Minority News

Senators Kay Hagan (NC) and Debbie Stabenow (MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to approve disaster assistance for small pork producers affected by a deadly virus that is hitting pig farms across the country. The Porcine Endemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) has...

Good morning. The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry will now come to order.   We’re meeting this morning to consider the nomination of Timothy Massad to be the next Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as well as the nominations of Sharon Bowen and Christopher Giancarlo to be Commissioners at the...

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee, today announced the introduction of a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension System, helping to...

President Obama signed the new bipartisan 2014 Farm Bill into law on February 7, marking a new direction in American agriculture policy. The Farm Bill is a rare example of Congress working together to pass a major bipartisan jobs bill, and legislation that reduces the deficit by tens of billions of...

East Lansing, MI – President Barack Obama today signed into law the bipartisan 2014 Farm Bill at a special signing ceremony on Michigan State University’s campus.  The president joined Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the farm bill’s lead Senate author and Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and...

The U.S. Senate today voted overwhelmingly to approve the bipartisan Farm Bill coauthored by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, by a vote of 68-32. The bill represents rare bipartisan agreement on legislation that would boost a major sector of the U.S. economy and create jobs...

In an op-ed in the Huffington Post, Senator Stabenow said of the bipartisan 2014 Farm Bill today: “The bill marks a major step in changing the paradigm in American agriculture policy…” “The new Farm Bill ends indefensible government subsidies like direct payments, which pay farmers every year whether they need it or...

The U.S. Senate cleared a procedural hurdle today and voted to proceed to consideration of the 2014 Farm Bill, paving the way for a final vote on the measure tomorrow. Cloture was invoked with strong bipartisan support of 72-22. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and...

For more information on the Farm Bill’s savings in food assistance, click here. Bob Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “Congress did not intend for states to stretch the benefit rules this way and longstanding [food stamp] supporters like myself find it difficult to defend… It’s difficult to defend the...

In 2011, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees set a goal of cutting $23 billion from agriculture programs. This Farm Bill ensures that, including sequester, the bill yields a total of $23 billion in cuts to program spending, meeting the committees’ deficit reduction goal. Farm Bill Savings The Farm Bill achieves major reform by ending...

American Farm Bureau Federation National Farmers Union Union of Concerned Scientists Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Ducks Unlimited National Rifle Association National Wildlife Federation Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Humane Society of the United States AARP The Nature Conservancy World Wildlife Fund Pheasants Forever Audubon...

Agriculture represents a bright spot in the U.S. economy and is underpinning the nation’s economic recovery. Passing a five-year Farm Bill creates the certainty needed for farmers, ranchers and businessesthroughout a sector critical toour entire economy. American agriculture supports 16 million American jobs. Agriculture is one of the only...

“This farm bill would be one of the strongest ever for conservation and forestry”"Farm bill conservation programs ... encourage practices that lead to healthier lands and waters, and they are critical to a strong economy, healthy and productive rural lands, and vibrant communities"“The new farm bill has several important provisions to advance...

Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement regarding the House’s vote to pass The Agricultural Act of 2014.  “We are on the verge of achieving major reform. Today’s House vote puts us one step closer to finally enacting...

  The 2014 Farm Bill recognizes the diversity of American agriculture and the importance of providing access to healthy foods by strengthening programs that focus on fruits, vegetables and organic crops. Sales of specialty crops total nearly $65 billion per year, and organics are the fastest-growing segment of agriculture, making them a...

The Agricultural Act of 2014 achieves savings in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) solely by stopping fraud and misuse, while maintaining critical assistance for families. Savings in this section are achieved without removing anyone from the SNAP program, and ensures that every person receives the benefits they are intended to...

After nearly three years of working to create a 5-year Farm Bill that will reform agriculture policy, end unnecessary subsidies, save billions of taxpayer dollars, and help create American agriculture jobs, Members of Congress in the Senate and House have an agreement on a final bipartisan Farm Bill. Members of both parties have been trying to end...

House and Senate agriculture leaders today announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a five-year farm bill that will reduce the deficit, grow the economy and provide certainty to the 16 million Americans whose jobs depend on agriculture. The Agricultural Act of 2014 contains major reforms including eliminating the direct payment program,...

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to lower congressionally mandated biofuels targets for 2014. The proposal would set the volumes at under 10 percent of projected...

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded U.S. Department of Agriculture efforts that will help U.S. beef producers increase exports. USDA today announced the final comprehensive BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) rule that will help ensure other countries...