Today, the Senate passed the Farm Bill, now titled H.R. 2642 – the Agricultural Act of 2014, by a vote of 68-32. Congress has not approved a new Farm Bill since 2008. The House passed the joint House-Senate conference committee report last week. The final 1,000-page bill reauthorizes hundreds of programs for agriculture, dairy production, conservation, nutrition and international food aid.
After two years of negotiating, the $956.4 billion agreement includes $617 million in mandatory funding (not subject to annual appropriations) for five NIFA-administered programs.
The measure is heading to the President’s desk, where he has expressed his intent to sign it.