The 2018 Farm Bill has passed out of Congress and is headed to the President's desk.
In the Senate, the bill became the most bipartisan farm bill to ever pass.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow is a bill sponsor. She said the bill includes permanent support for exports.
“And given the chaos and uncertainty in what’s happening around the world, the trade promotion piece is even more important.”
Previously funding needed to be approved every five years to promote exports.
John Kran is with the Michigan Farm Bureau. He said the bill includes a stronger safety net for farmers, particularly dairy farmers.
“Our dairy industry has been going through a rough couple of years. This new farm bill once passed will help farmers take advantage of some of these programs to help them weather the storm of these hard economic times.”
Congressman John Moolenaar said the bill would help more than just farmers by "improving rural infrastructure and broadband access, so small communities can address vital needs. It also helps fight the opioid epidemic with a 33-percent increase for grants expanding telehealth services so doctors can connect with patients and monitor their progress more efficiently."
The bill also includes permanent funding for SNAP food assistance programs that encourage recipients to purchase fresh produce, a portion of the bill that U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee said he introduced.
Kildee said he also fought several proposed cuts to food assistance
“Basically in the six years that I’ve been here this has been a constant fight but we were able to push back against efforts to reduce the SNAP benefits”
Kildee said he was also able to keep some additional work requirements out of the bill that would have impacted SNAP recipients.
President Trump is expected to sign the legislation sometime before the weekend.