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Balanced Reporting. Trusted Insights.
Wednesday, April 02, 2025
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients will receive their February benefits early under an action the Trump administration is taking to ensure it has the money to cover the cost of the assistance during the ongoing government shutdown.
The new Congress rekindled a dispute left over from last year’s farm bill debate as House Republicans sought to protect USDA’s move to tighten work requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
House Democrats are setting the stage for a possible court battle with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue over his plan to make it harder for states to get waivers from food stamp work requirements.
USDA, EPA and the Interior Department could all shut down at the end of this week unless lawmakers can reach a deal on President Trump’s funding demands for the border wall.
A new five-year farm bill that enhances existing programs while offering new assistance to less traditional forms of agriculture and legalizing industrial hemp easily won final congressional approval from the House on Wednesday, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Monday he would recommend President Donald Trump sign the new farm bill that congressional negotiators agreed on even though it wouldn’t tighten work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Farm groups welcomed news that negotiators had reached agreement on a new farm bill, but key details were being kept under wraps while lawmakers waited to learn whether the final cost estimates would force them to tweak the text.
Lawmakers hope to include provisions in a new farm bill that would reduce food waste by encouraging donations of ugly produce and surplus commodities that would otherwise be discarded.
Farm bill negotiators are struggling to work out deals on forestry regulations, commodity program eligibility rules and other issues with a goal of finalizing an agreement that Congress can vote on before adjourning in December.
Rep. Collin Peterson expressed confidence Wednesday that a new farm bill would be enacted before the Minnesota Democrat regains the chairmanship of the House Agriculture Committee in January.
