Congress approves farm bill, sends to Obama for signature

Congress approved a massive, five-year farm bill on Tuesday and sent it to President Obama for his expected signature.

The Senate passed the bill 68-32 after the House passed it last week.

The legislation provides a financial cushion for farmers who face unpredictable weather and market conditions, but the bulk of the bill’s nearly $100 billion-a-year cost is for the food stamp program, which aids 1 in 7 Americans.

Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who authored the bill with her House counterpart, Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said she is proud of the bipartisan deal negotiators reached, despite the long road to passage.

“Many people said this would never happen in this environment, but Congress has come together to pass a major bipartisan jobs bill,” Stabenow said. “Congress has also passed a major reform and deficit reduction bill. Both bills are the 2014 Farm Bill.”

Partisan disagreements stalled the bill for more than two years, but conservatives were eventually outnumbered as the Democratic Senate, the White House and a still-powerful bipartisan coalition of farm-state lawmakers pushed to get the bill done.

President Obama on Tuesday praised lawmakers for coming together in a “strong bipartisan vote” to pass the legislation.

“As with any compromise, the Farm Bill isn’t perfect – but on the whole, it will make a positive difference not only for the rural economies that grow America’s food, but for our nation,” he said.

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