UPDATE: Federal Farm Bill Status
The Farm Bill authorized by Congress in 2014 expired on Sunday, September 30, as the Farm Bill Conference Committee did not come to a resolution on differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill prior to the deadline. What does this mean for Community Action and the folks we serve? Most importantly, the current benefits related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will stay intact for the time being. Once the House returns from its October recess after mid-term elections, the Conference Committee will continue its work to come to an agreement on the differing versions of the House and Senate bills.
Wonder what you can do to help advocate for a strong Farm Bill during the October recess?
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler is the only Missourian serving on the Conference Committee, and since she’ll likely be back in Missouri for at least part of the October recess, the coming month marks an ideal time to reach out Rep. Hartzler or her staff. Our Network submitted a letter to the congresswoman in August, asking her to consider the Senate version of the Farm Bill, which includes strong provisions for SNAP – unlike the House version, which would implement stringent work-tracking requirements for SNAP recipients and likely reduce or end benefits for many of the folks served by Community Action.
During the October recess, we encourage you to reach out to Rep. Hartzler to follow up on our Network’s request. If you need assistance in your advocacy efforts, please feel free to reach out to
Jessica Hoey
, Missouri CAN’s Director of External Affairs.