Noem: No vote on the House floor this week for new farm bill - KOTA Territory News

Noem: No vote on the House floor this week for new farm bill

Drought conditions are one of the causes of uncertainty for members of the Ag industry who will now have to wait a little longer to see if a new farm bill will be in place by the end of the year.

South Dakota Representative Kristi Noem (R) says no vote is scheduled for the floor this week.  It now looks like the issue will be taken up after the election cycle.

She says she will continue to push for signatures from members of the house from both parties to sign a "discharge petition." Such a petition will bypass leadership and force a vote on the floor.

Noem says the number one priority for this farm bill is crop insurance, which will provide a safety net for producers and help them manage risk when putting crops in the ground.

"I keep talking about the fact that this isn't just farm policy and farm programs, this is our food supply, and the fact that we have a viable Ag industry in this country makes certain that every single family in this country has affordable food on their plate," said Noem.

Democratic challenger Matt Varilek says Noem has not done enough to push for the farm bill in congress; citing that none of 92 freshmen members have signed the petition.

Noem responded by saying she is focusing on the bill, and will not make this a political issue.