Farm Bill Signed

Cross posted from the White House blog:

President Obama traveled to Michigan State University’s equine performance center in East Lansing to deliver remarks on and sign into law the Agriculture Act of 2014 — also known as the Farm Bill, which Congress passed earlier this week.

It’s a bill whose reach extends far beyond our farms — it includes smart reforms to reduce our deficit, and the investments it makes in our rural communities will help strengthen our economy across the board.

To see exactly what that looks like, take a look at five ways the Farm Bill strengthens our economy — and if you learn something new, pass it on.

In his remarks, the President detailed how the Farm Bill makes key investments in rural communities across the board — from funding for hospitals, schools, and affordable housing to support for businesses working to develop cutting-edge biofuels — all the while cutting down on loopholes that used to allow people to receive benefits year after year, whether they farmed anything or not.

Besides keeping our rural communities thriving, the President said, the Farm Bill helps vulnerable families keep food on the table by providing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In 2012, SNAP kept nearly 5 million people — including more than 2 million children — out of poverty.

- See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/02/07/the-president-signs-the-farm-bill-a-jobs-bill-an-innovation-bill-a-research-bill-and-a-conservation-bill/#sthash.ml6OkFVf.dpuf