farm bill

FARM BILL HEADS TO TRUMP FOR SIGNATURE; INCLUDES HEMP LEGALIZATION, WITH LIMITS

 

Update December 20, 2018:  President Trump has signed the Farm Bill into law.

By Miriam Raftery

December 15, 2018 (Washington D.C.)  The U.S. Senate has passed a farm bill that now heads to President Donald Trumps desk for signature.  The final version stripped out efforts by House Republicans, who had sought to imposeharsher work requirements on millions of food stamp recipients. The House version would have dropped about 1.5 million low-income people off the program.


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HOUSE VOTES TO ELIMINATE ALL FOOD STAMP BENEFITS; SENATE SEEKS COMPROMISE AS FARM BILL HANGS IN THE BALANCE

 

By Miriam Raftery

August 4, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – By a bare majority, the Republican-controlled House of representatives passed the Farm Bill after stripping out all funding for food stamps to feed the poor, but approved lavish subsidies for agribusiness.  After the Senate passed a less extreme version, a conference committee is now seeking a compromise. But thus far, the Republican leadership has shown no concern for the potential to leave millions of Americans facing starvation.

Among San Diego’s five Congressional representatives, only Republican Darrell Issa voted for  the measure.  Republican Duncan Hunter did not vote, but previously  voted for earlier deep cuts in Food Stamps and against restoring benefits. Democrats Susan Davis, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas voted against stripping Food Stamps from the Farm Bill.

  Issa’s 49th district includes 7,691 households receiving food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP). Of those, 44.2% have incomes below the poverty level and 79.5% have children; 20.2% have at least one senior citizen.


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MONSANTO SLIPS LANGUAGE INTO FEDERAL FARM BILL TO BAN STATES FROM REQUIRING LABELING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

 

Rally today in San Diego and nationwide seeks to stop “Monsanto Protection Act 2.0”

By Miriam Raftery

 

May 25, 2013 (San Diego)—Food safety activists will  hold a “March Against Monsanto” today at 11 a.m. in San Diego. (Details on their Facebook page.)  Among other things, protesters oppose stealth language slipped into the 2013 Farm Bill approved by the House Agricutlrual Committee. The language revokes rights of states to pass laws requiring labeling of foods with genetically labeled ingredients.

“Monsanto is trying to manipulate Congress to pass a Far Bill that will wipe out citizens’ rights to state laws intended to protect their health and safety,” the Organic Consumers Association said, International Business Times reported.


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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

January 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

HEALTH

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS APPLAUDS SENATE FOR PASSAGE OF HISTORIC FARM BILL

 
June 26, 2012 (Chicago) – The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics praised the work of the United States Senate, in particular the Agriculture Committee, for passing the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act (S. 3240), also known as the 2012 Farm Bill, which will fund key nutrition programs that empower Americans to make healthy food choices.

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FARM BILL: SOME GOOD, SOME BAD FOR CALIFORNIA

 
June 20, 2012 (Washington, D.C.)The U.S. Senate is taking up the Farm Bill, which will set the nation's food policy for the next five years. The legislation's title - the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 - includes the word "reform," although some California farmers question the amount of reform it contains.

Dave Runsten, policy director for the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, supports eliminating direct payments to farmers who may or may not plant crops. He adds that the bill shifts much of that money into federally subsidized crop insurance. 


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