Tagged: farm bill

The house agriculture committee and the Senate have both passed versions of a new five year farm bill. Congress passed a 9 month extension to the current farm bill last year, but the he lack of long term farm bill is affecting conservation programs.

The future remains uncertain for a federal conservation program that helps restore wetlands across the Midwest. The Wetlands Reserve Program provides money to farmers who take former wetlands out of production and restore them.

A western Illinois Congressman thinks the President’s recent proposal to solve the fiscal cliff is not serious.

Republican Aaron Schock said negotiations are moving forward, but he believes the President needs to agree to deeper spending cuts.

A look back at the top stories and features from the Tri States Public Radio news department from September 2012.  

Reporter Jason Parrott told us about plans to build a $1.4 billion fertilizer plant in Lee County. He also reported on pending lay-offs at one of the county’s largest employers.

During the month, Colchester received some good news from the USDA, Lee County made plans to add beds to its jail, and a historic structure in Macomb received a national designation.

Congress has less than two weeks  to act before the current farm bill expires.

Dozens of federal programs are included in the bill -- everything from  crop insurance to food aid for the poor.

Spending on food aid is one of the reasons that House Republican leaders have refused  to call the measure for a vote. U-S Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is among  many farm-state politicians of both parties who have been  critical of that decision.