Sowing Seeds of Support for the Farm Bill: What Conservatives Are Saying

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Since the House Committee on Agriculture introduced the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, known more commonly as the farm bill, support has sprouted for the bold, conservative reforms included to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that will help move more Americans towards independence by obtaining gainful employment and the American Dream. With job openings continuing to increase, the need for trained, skilled workers makes these reforms critical.

See what national conservative groups have to say about the bill and these reforms:

“The welfare reforms included in the Farm Bill represent a step in the right direction toward reducing poverty, encouraging work, fostering upward mobility, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are responsibly spent.” – Americans for Tax Reform

“The proposed work requirements for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) program will help reduce dependency, promote the dignity of work, and save taxpayer money. It’s a win-win for Americans.” – Jason Pye, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Freedomworks

“The economy’s in great shape. There are opportunities out there. The labor force participation is still below what it was at the beginning of the Great Recession. There are still people who are eligible to work who are remaining on the sidelines. I think most Americans believe the purpose of programs like the food stamp benefit is to help people move out of poverty through earnings, not to keep them more comfortable or less uncomfortable in poverty. I think [Congress] could make substantial, significant progress to helping people move out of poverty with the resources being offered here.” – Robert Doar, American Enterprise Institute

“Food stamps have become a dependency trap for too many able-bodied adults. It should act as a temporary safety net for those who truly need it. The Farm Bill does three big things: refocus the program on the truly needy, eliminate abuse to restore the program’s integrity, and use work to move millions of able-bodied adults to self-sufficiency. The Farm Bill provides the path to move millions of Americans back to work. Congress should support that opportunity to take that path.” – Tarren Bragdon, President and CEO, Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA)

“SNAP recipients want to be beneficiaries of this economic growth. They want to take advantage of opportunities and meet the needs of our nation’s businesses. This bill makes a significant investment in training and case management to guarantee access to an E&T [Employment and Training] slot to anyone who wants one.” – Lee Bowes, CEO of America Works of New York, Inc.

“We have more than 6 million open jobs across America right now. We need workers and there are too many people sitting on the sidelines on welfare. Voters across the country are demanding reform. Nine out of 10 people support reforms that will move millions of Americans from welfare to work. They support reforms that will end the cycle of dependency and protect resources for the truly needy.” –Kristina Rasmussen, Vice President of Federal Affairs, Foundation for Government Accountability