<p>The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a farm bill after being more than a year overdue. The Agricultural Act of 2014 will cost nearly $1 trillion over 10 years, according to Reuters. The bill includes a cut to the food stamps program of about 1%, and ends direct payment crop subsidies, while greatly expanding government-backed crop insurance programs.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The measure passed by 251 votes to 166. The Senate will vote on the bill as early as next week, and it is expected to pass. Leaders of the House and Senate agriculture committees have stated they also expect President Barack Obama will sign the bill.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The farm bill includes a 55% increase in investment in critical produce industry initiatives and programs, according to a press release from the United Fresh Produce Association. During the debate on the House floor, Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) stated that provisions within the bill that provide "dramatic investment in specialty crops" were a reason for his support. Rep. Suzan Delbene (WA-1) agreed and urged support for the bill, based in part on the "unprecedented investment in specialty crops."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">United Fresh is launching a grassroots campaign this week, calling on produce industry leaders from across the country to contact their Senators to encourage them to vote 'yes' on the Agricultural Act of 2014.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Under the bill, crop subsidies will still exist, although they will no longer be paid in the form of direct payment subsidies, which paid farmers whether they grew crops or not. The new system of payments will be based on crop loss, meaning that farmers will have to incur losses before being paid.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">About $8 billion in spending reduction over 10 years come from cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. House Republicans initially advocated $40 billion worth of cuts to the program, but ultimately this compromise was reached.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Liberal lawmakers still feel the cut of about 1% to the food stamps safety net program is problematic.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"This bill will make hunger worse in America," Democratic Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said on the House floor.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/29/usa-agriculture-farmbill-idUSL2N0L310A20140129" target="_new"> Reuters </a><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.unitedfresh.org/" target="_new"> United Fresh Produce Association </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
