House Agriculture Committee to Vote on Controversial $1 Trillion Farm Bill Amid Bipartisan Concerns and Opposition.

The House Agriculture Committee is set to vote on the five-year farm bill, a measure that could potentially exceed $1 trillion in projected costs. The draft legislation, released by Republican Chair Glenn Thompson, includes a sharp increase in funding for conservation but would eliminate the focus on climate change. It would also revamp aspects of nutrition assistance programs to contain costs and steer initiatives towards healthier diets. Democrats are opposed to this idea, arguing it would harm the programs’ ability to reach people in need and dull the role of climate mitigation in conservation programs. The bill, which authorizes programs at the Department of Agriculture including conservation, food safety, forestry, public works projects in rural communities, and nutrition assistance for low-income households, has been met with resistance from conservation and environmental groups. The National Farmers Union has praised the draft draft’s enhancements to subsidized crop insurance and acreage protection. However, the NFU said changes to the nutrition and conservation sections will need to be made to gain support from both sides of the aisle.