{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.welch.senate.gov/welch-files-42-amendments-to-the-farm-bill/", "Welch Files 42 Amendments to the Farm Bill", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "VT", "Peter Welch", "W000800", "www.welch.senate.gov", "welch", "https://www.welch.senate.gov/category/press-release/page/", "scraper", "Welch\u2019s amendments would support farmers and rural communities, reform farm subsidy programs, and improve access to nutrition programs\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee plans to consider Senate Republicans\u2019 partisan Farm Bill which, as written, will not adequately support Vermont farmers and families and rural communities. U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, filed 42 amendments to Senate Republicans Farm Bill. Senator Welch\u2019s proposed changes to the Farm Bill include measures to better support small and family farms, strengthen rural communities, reform farm subsidy programs, and improve access to nutrition.\n\n\u201cFarms and rural communities across the country are in crisis\u2014we need a bipartisan Farm Bill that meets the moment, but this bill isn\u2019t it. I\u2019ve introduced 42 amendments to Senate Republicans\u2019 partisan Farm Bill\u2014many of which are policies that have historically enjoyed strong bipartisan support,\u201d said Senator Welch. \u201cI hope my colleagues on the Agriculture Committee will work together to improve this Farm Bill and help Vermont farmers, families, and communities.\u201d\n\nSenator Welch\u2019s proposed amendments and changes to Senate Republicans\u2019 Farm Bill include measures to:\n\nBetter Support Vermont Farmers:\n\nHalt the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) reorganization plan\n\nCut red tape for small-scale meat producers in rural communities\n\nImprove access to farm loans and credit\n\nProvide free access to the Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) for eligible producers\n\nImprove data collection for organic dairy farmers\n\nExpand eligibility and access to conservation programs\n\nHelp eliminate barriers for farmers entering the organics market\n\nStrengthen Rural Communities:\n\nImprove rural broadband buildout and speed standards\n\nLower energy costs for rural communities\n\nCombat the threat of invasive species\n\nEstablish national and regional agroforestry centers\n\nProvide multi-year flexible grants to rural communities\n\nStrike the Farm Bill\u2019s E15 language, which is bad for dairy and specialty crop farmers, bad for the environment, and could raise food costs for families.\n\nReform Farm Subsidy and Crop Insurance Programs:\n\nEnsure taxpayer-provided aid makes it into the hands of actual farmers\n\nImprove record-keeping requirements for farm subsidies\n\nDevelop a crop insurance product for specialty crop and diversified farms facing extreme weather events\n\nImprove Access to Nutrition:\n\nIncrease funding for the Farm to School nutrition program and support initiatives that deliver fresh, local foods to schools nationwide\n\nCut red tape for SNAP applicants\n\nImprove USDA\u2019s Food for Peace program\n\nView all of Senator Welch\u2019s amendments to the Farm Bill.\n\nSenator Welch is the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit. Learn more about Senator Welch\u2019s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.welch.senate.gov/welch-files-42-amendments-to-the-farm-bill/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6879500579088926, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}