Report: US House to split farm bill

The farm bill could be split into two pieces in the U.S. House and get a vote this week.

A revolt by conservative Republicans and most Democrats sank the farm bill on the House floor last month.

In a bid to get more conservative support, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call now reports that House Republicans plan to bring the legislation up again this week by separating the agricultural programs from food stamps.

Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., is the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and says the GOP plan is "a dumb idea."

"It almost looks to me like they're doing this so they can get a bill through the House so they won't get blamed," Peterson said.

Agriculture and nutrition have been linked for more than 40 years to get the votes needed to pass a bill in Congress.

The Senate passed its own farm bill last month.

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