MARQUETTE -- Senator Debbie Stabenow held a presentation on agriculture reform at Northern Michigan University. The senator outlined how the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act is designed to reduce government spending by about $23 billion.
One major reform is to limit the number of direct payments to farmers. Stabenow says the bill will ensure no more money is spent to pay farmers for crops they don't grow.
While the bill has passed in the Senate with bi-partisan support, getting it through the House of Representatives has been a struggle.
"People have become partisan, backed into their corners, that they're not looking at the fact that there are 16 million workers in this country because of agriculture, forestry, food systems, and almost one of four people in Michigan," said Stabenow.
There is no word yet on when the bill will be taken up in the House of Representatives.
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