REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES “YES” TO 2018 FARM BILL

WORK TO HELP TENNESSEE FARMERS, RANCHERS WILL CONTINUE DESPITE OBSTACLES, SAYS CONGRESSMAN

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., a member of the House Agriculture Committee, voted for the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, legislation to set federal farm policy, today. However, the bill, which included reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, failed to gain a majority of votes in the House of Representatives.

Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04), a member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, overseeing the federal food stamp program, released the following statement:

“Many House members, our staffs, farmers and ranchers worked hard to improve federal farm policy, as well as the food stamp program, which makes up 80 percent of agriculture funding. I voted for today’s legislation, because it would have helped healthy, able-bodied adults to train and work in a growing economy, where an estimated 6 million available jobs await them. Those jobs require skilled workers, and the bill would have created more. Our work for them and taxpayers will continue. Our work for farmers and ranchers in the Fourth District will continue. The current farm bill contains important provisions, such as rural broadband development and education, pest control and an end to federal encroachment on farmlands, among others, that deserve our attention. Tennessee farmers and ranchers have mine.”