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Vilsack says nutrition bill vote next week

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters today that the U.S. House is planning to vote on a nutrition bill next week – what would be the other half of a Farm-Policy-Only bill that the House passed in July, “We have not received an formal, formal notification but in my discussions with Chairman Lucas and in my discussions with other members of the House they have indicated to me that is the plan for the House to take this up next week.”

Vilsack says, “obviously, those plans can change” as the Syrian issue shows. But, he adds, there seems to be a real desire to get a nutrition bill, with $40 Billion in proposed food stamp cuts, to the House floor for a vote, “I sincerely hope it gets defeated and I sincerely hope that regardless of the outcome of that vote that the House then gets serious about getting this Farm Bill done and to do that they’ve got to get conferees appointed.”

Conferees in the House would work with Senators who have been appointed conferees to work out the differences in their respective five-year Farm Bills. Vilsack again said there is no reason why they House didn’t have conferees appointed a month ago.

Vilsack made his comments during a conference call with reporters on conservation innovations.