The farm bill “is in very, very good shape,” according to President Trump, who hinted that he will sign the bill into law this week. “So we’ll get the farm bill. Got to take care of the farmers. But it’s just been something very, very exciting,” said Trump over the weekend.
Agriculture groups were told that Trump was expected to sign the bill Thursday, said Politico. It was unclear if there would be a signing ceremony. House Agriculture chairman Micheal Conaway said last week that it might be difficult to squeeze a full-dress signing ceremony into a White House schedule crowded with the approach of the holidays and the possibility of a partial government shutdown.
The $87 billion-a-year farm bill does not include stricter SNAP work requirements, one of Trump’s causes. The USDA might act on its own to reduce the power of states to provide food stamps beyond the usual 90-day limit to so-called able-bodied adults without dependents. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue held off action while farm bill negotiations were in their final weeks.