Rep. Ellison Votes No On Farm Bill

Statement

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after voting no on the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill, which failed in the U.S. House:

"I voted no on the Farm Bill because I cannot support its provisions that jeopardize the well-being of so many Americans, including its proposed cuts to and stricter requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- a program that has lifted millions of people out of poverty. To deny or reduce nutritional aid to millions of people, mostly families with children, is careless and unacceptable.

"We need a Farm Bill that invests in critical programs like rural broadband, water and other infrastructure needs, not a bill that eliminates funding for these programs and preempts local environmental ordinances, including safeguards against pesticides sprayed into waterways.

"This bill also does nothing to reverse the decades-long trend toward concentration in the agricultural sector, which has put small family farms and ranchers at a disadvantage.

"For years, the Farm Bill has been about supporting farmers, strengthening communities and providing food for America. I am disappointed that my Republican colleagues instead decided to push through a partisan and controversial bill that would harm our environment and families in need."

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