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USDA outlines 2018 Farm Bill priorities

The USDA has released Farm Bill and legislative priorities for 2018.

Improving the nutrition title is a top priority. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says the Farm Bill should support work as a pathway to self-sufficiency and help people transition away from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

A budget resolution from the House of Representatives signals that leaders want to reduce spending on programs like SNAP, which helps more than 40 million families.

Perdue has heard from farmers across the country that crop insurance is also a top priority. The document says a farm safety net is needed to help farmers in times of economic stress without distorting markets.

Other priorities include expanding trade markets, beefing up programs that prevent animal diseases, and encouraging farming by making land and capital available to beginning, military, and underrepresented farmers.

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