Trump signs $867 billion farm bill without food stamp program cuts

President Donald Trump points during a news conference.
President Donald Trump during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Washington.
Evan Vucci | AP File

President Donald Trump has signed a massive $867 billion farm bill that reauthorizes agriculture and conservation programs without any cuts to the food stamp program.

Trump signed the bill Thursday after the Agriculture Department announced plans to tighten work requirements for recipients of food aid. Negotiations over the farm bill had stalled for months in Congress over a provision by the House to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and over the Senate's unwillingness to go along.

Trump had voiced strong support for stricter work requirements.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says the regulation to tighten work requirements was a tradeoff for Trump's support for the bill.

The farm bill will cost roughly $400 billion over five years or $867 billion over 10 years.

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