
The 2008 farm bill expired last year without a replacement, though coverage for most federal agriculture-related programs has been extended through 2013.
The House and Senate have passed competing five-year farm bills – both costing about $500 billion — and negotiators have been meeting behind closed doors for weeks to work out a compromise. But pessimism has grown in recent days that the two sides were far apart and wouldn't reach a deal by the end of the year, a notion fueled by House Speaker John Boehner's comment Thursday that he hadn't seen "any real progress" on the talks.
Lucas, R-Okla, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., had hoped to have a deal struck before Congress' December break. But with the House scheduled to recess for the rest of 2013 at week's end, Lucas' move Tuesday suggests a one-month extension is eminent.
"We will be ready to vote in January," Stabenow said after meeting with Lucas on Tuesday.
While many agriculture subsidy programs have broad bipartisan support, a handful of farm bill-related items — particularly the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called the food stamp program — have stalled passage of a five-year farm bill since last year.
Negotiators also have focused on cracking down further on a practice in some states of giving low-income people as little as $1 a year in home heating assistance, even when they don't have heating bills, in order to make them eligible for increased food stamp benefits. The Senate has proposed that states have a $10 heating assistance threshold for such eligibility, for a $400 million savings. The House wants that requirement doubled to $20 annually, bringing the savings to around $800 million a year.
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