WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the Senate voted 66-27 to pass the bipartisan Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill:
The Farm Bill still too heavily subsidizes big Midwestern and Western farmers, but all in all, this was a good bill for Connecticut farmers and fisherman. Producers across our state rely on the programs supported by the Farm Bill, and we all rely on them to bring us the foods we eat and the raw materials we use every single day. While this farm bill is a long way from perfect, it addresses the priorities of Connecticut’s agricultural community, including ensuring a strong safety net for the state’s dairy farmers, expanding market access for Connecticut-grown fruits and vegetables, and making some important cuts to wasteful subsidies for big industrial farms.
I was disappointed by cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and I supported an amendment to strip them from the bill. However, that amendment failed. That said, the cuts to SNAP in this bill represent less than 1 percent of the program’s overall funding, and I believe that this legislation represents a better alternative that the bill being considered in the House, which makes vastly deeper and more damaging cuts to SNAP.
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