Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) encouraged incoming lawmakers to support more farmer aid in future bills considered by Congress.
“It took a last second vote for us to give farmers a lifeline after losing 150,000 family farms in the last several years under Democrat rule,” he wrote in a Saturday post on the social media platform X.
“I’m glad that we finally secured economic assistance for farmers, but we have to make them a PRIORITY next Congress by passing a Farm Bill that focuses on farmers, not food stamps,” he added.
Every five years, food stamps provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is reauthorized by Congress as part of the Farm Bill. The program benefits are redeemable at farmer’s markets, which supports state agriculture and gives people access to fresh food.
SNAP lifted 144,000 people above the poverty line in Alabama, including 65,000 children, per year between 2014 and 2018, on average, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
However, the state’s representative Tuberville said lawmakers need to support farmers with specific provisions in the recurring bill instead of relying on federal benefit programs.
The comments come after days of controversy over farmer aid additions to the end of year government spending package. Multiple GOP members said farmers deserved more support.
Friday’s approved bill, signed by President Biden Saturday, allots $10 billion in farmer aid and $21 billion agricultural disaster aid.
Livestock producers are expected to receive $2 billion through disaster aid designations.
