Farm Bill Expires Tomorrow

The U.S. farm bill is set to expire tomorrow, Friday, April 25, because Bush says the bipartisan congressional bill is too costly. But among the changes to the bill is raising the minimum food stamp allotment from $10 to $16 per month, which is adjusted for inflation from the original 2002 farm bill, says Diane Doherty, executive director of the Illinois Hunger Coalition, on Chicago Public Radio. (Listen to her interview here.) That small increase could dramatically benefit low-income families, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and many of the other millions of Americans who rely on food stamps to help make ends meet. If a deal isn't reached by Friday, some of the bill's provisions could revert to 1949 laws, thereby negatively affecting those who are being hit hardest by skyrocketing grocery bills, high gas prices, job losses, stagnant wages, home foreclosures and dwindling savings. In other words, most of America's working poor.