THE 2014 FARM BILL

The Agricultural Act of 2014 aka the 2014 Farm Bill

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.