Farm Bill Progress Pt 1

Farm Bill Progress Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I'm Bob Larson. A few weeks after it emerged from the House Ag Committee, Representatives are still hard at work trying to understand all the details of the farm bill.

Representative Dan Newhouse believes the changes drawing the most scrutiny are pretty good policy intended to help those who need it most ...

NEWHOUSE ... "One of the biggest goals of the changes being made is to make the nutrition programs more of a springboard out of poverty instead of becoming a ... the safety net becoming a trap that actually keeps them in poverty."

Newhouse says some of the provisions are aimed at increasing the availability of opportunities for skills training ...

NEWHOUSE ... "... in order to help them become contributing members of our workforce. And I think that should be something that we strive for, to make sure that people are able to support themselves instead of being dependent on the government."

But, Newhouse says the farm bill STILL helps those who can't help themselves...

NEWHOUSE ... "There's a lot of elderly, there's a lot of young people, there's a lot of single working families, there's a lot of people that, frankly, it would be very difficult for them to get jobs. There will be a lot of assistance and increased assistance for them."

Bottom line, Newhouse says, the SNAP portion of the farm bill is budget neutral, meaning there are no cuts to the program. Any savings accrued from the work requirement and other provisions will be reinvested in training and education for SNAP recipients.

Listen tomorrow for more.

Previous ReportTouchet FFA Helps Oklahoma Fire Victims Pt 2
Next ReportFarm Bill Progress Pt 2