Farmers in Connecticut say acquiring land is one of their biggest challenges. Joe Courtney wants to address that issue in the new Farm Bill.
farm bill
Posted inPolitics
USDA moves to require states like CT to expand food stamp work requirements
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration on Thursday moved to tighten work requirements for food stamps, a change in policy that could affect up to 39,000 in Connecticut who receive this food assistance.
Posted inPolitics
Congress approves farm bill that rejects food stamp cuts, helps CT dairy farmers
WASHINGTON – Congress approved a new farm bill Wednesday that rejects President Donald Trump’s plan to impose work requirements on food stamp recipients, allocates billions of dollars in subsidies to American farmers, and provides new help to Connecticut’s vulnerable dairy industry.
Posted inPolitics
Showdown on food stamps looms in Congress
WASHINGTON – Unless there’s a last-minute deal, there will be a huge showdown in Congress next week over the future of food stamps, a federal program that helps feed about 400,000 individuals and families in Connecticut. House conservatives — and President Donald Trump — want to add new work requirements to the program, but there’s resistance in the Senate to that idea.
Posted inEducation
U.S. House bill cuts thousands from Connecticut’s free school lunch program
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House on Thursday narrowly approved a massive farm bill that would cut thousands of children from free school meals in Connecticut. That bill, opposed by every House Democrat, would curb eligibility for food stamps, too.
Posted inPolitics
DeLauro: Cut farm bill handouts to the wealthy, not food stamps
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House is about to vote on a farm bill that will reduce eligibility for food stamps, a move that has caused a partisan split, with most Democratic lawmakers opposing the legislation. If the changes become law, they could impact tens of thousands of food stamp recipients in the state.
Posted inPolitics
Congress moves to tighten food stamp rules
Updated at 7:10 p.m.
WASHINGTON — A massive farm bill approved by the House Agriculture Committee Wednesday would end food stamp benefits for many childless adults in 114 Connecticut towns, unless those beneficiaries get a job or work training. Republicans said the change would encourage more recipients to move out of poverty while Democrats said it was a mean-spirited degradation of a critical part of the social safety net.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy moves to avoid food stamp cuts
Washington – Gov . Dannel Malloy announced Monday that his administration will increase spending on heating assistance to thwart new federal regulations aimed at shrinking food stamp benefits for at least 50,000 households in the state. “Connecticut, for one, will not stand by while our low-income families and elders are put at risk by Washington […]
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy considers blocking federal food stamp cuts
WASHINGTON – Gov. Dannel Malloy is looking at a way to block cutbacks in the food stamp programs for as many as 68,000 Connecticut families next year, a result of changes to the program in a farm bill President Obama signed into law last week.
Posted inNews
Health trends. Schools. Politics. Money. Trees. (& a bit of whatnot)
If you blinked this week, you missed something — it was a non-stop cascade of news and events of interest to Connecticut residents.
Posted inMoney, Politics
CT House delegation unanimous against farm bill
Washington — Connecticut’s House members, all Democrats, voted unanimously Wednesday against a farm bill that would spend nearly $1 trillion on farm programs over the next five years — but would cut food stamps.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Connecticut advocates blast farm bill’s food stamp cuts
Washington — Most lawmakers are calling it a good deal, but Connecticut anti-hunger advocates say a new massive farm bill’s cuts to food stamps will leave thousands in the state hungry.
Posted inNews
Blumenthal milks Senate support for dairy compromise
During the Senate debate Thursday on a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill, Sen. Richard Blumenthal used a glass of milk as a prop to try to bring attention to a new compromise that might end a deadlock over the dairy program that has stalled a massive farm bill. Blumenthal, D-Conn., said a deal has been cut to keep the current dairy subsidy program while phasing in a new program that would replace those subsides with an insurance plan.