Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) late Wednesday announced that a bipartisan agreement has been reached on dairy and seed cotton improvements to the farm safety net programs for dairy and cotton farmers, led by Leahy and Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss). Dairy and cotton farmers are facing severe financial strains, which threaten many farms’ survival.
Their provisions, totaling $1.1 billion in help for farmers, were negotiated as part of the bipartisan budget agreement, also reached on Wednesday. (Senate leaders announce two-year budget deal - CNNPolitics)
The dairy/cotton provisions would be part of the agreement to fund the government when a current stop-gap funding bill expires Thursday at midnight, but would be effective immediately.
Leahy will announce details after the agreement is filed in the Senate, which may occur later tonight. Leahy – long the Senate’s leader on dairy policy issues -- is the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is also a leading member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Cochran is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
Source: Leahy 2.7.2018