The Current Bill & Reports
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub.L. 113-79)
The Congressional Research Service's Summary and Side-by-Side Report
Congressional Budget Office's January 2014 Estimated Report
House and Senate Committee Report
Past Three Farm Bills
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub.L. 110-246)
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub.L. 107-171)
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Pub.L. 104-127)
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
As of December 2014, the Senate Committe on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry consists of 11 Democrats and 9 Republicans. The Chairwoman is Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and the Minority Ranking Member is Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS).
They have their own site devoted to the 2014 Farm Bill, complete with the amendments offered at markup (the debating on the Senate floor). Below is their Twitter for updates and news.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 was passed by the House of Representatives on January 29, 2014; the Senate on February 4th; and signed into law by President Obama three days later. This was the result of the second attempt by Congress to pass a new Farm Bill. The first attempt, during the summer of 2012, Congress failed to pass a new bill before the 2008 version expired on September 30th. The most important programs were extended until Congress could reconvene and work on a new version.
The process for creating new bills begins in the Congressional agriculture committees, with their versions introduced to Congress. THe 2012 version was first debated in the Senate, while the 2013 version was first debated in the House. Both chambers must pass the bill, negotiate any differences in a committee, and then vote on the bill again before it heads to the President. Programs are then funded by the Appropriations Committee.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 aka the 2014 Farm Bill
As of December 2014, the House Committe on Agriculture consists of 25 Republicans and 21 Democrats. The Chairman is Representative Frank D. Lucas (R-OK-3), the Vice Chairman is Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-VA-6), and the Minoroty Ranking-Member is Representative Collin C. Peterson (D-MN-7).
They have their own site devoted to the Farm Bill, present and past. Below is their Twitter for updates and news.
