Jun 21 2013
KDLT: Noem Reacts to Farm Bill Failure
By KDLT News
Thursday was a disappointing day for some South Dakota farmers. The U.S. house has rejected a five-year, half-trillion-dollar farm bill.South Dakota's lone member of the house Kristi Noem, who worked to get the measure passed, says the vote is "extremely disappointing."
Noem says many Democrats rejected the measure because of massive cuts to the food stamp program. But she also placed blame on some fellow Republicans who wanted even more cuts.
Noem said, “We had more reforms in this bill than I think we've ever had in any farm bill before. And we were much more accountable to the taxpayers in this bill than we have in the past. So, I think they let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
Noem says supporters of the farm bill thought they had enough votes to pass it in the house. She's not sure where they will go from here, or if the bill will be voted on again this session.
The food stamp program appears to be the stumbling block, however the bill would also have cut federally subsidized crop insurance for farmers in case of a bad crop.