House committee votes to support USDA rice, wheat bill

House Ways and Means Committee members on Tuesday voted to support a farm bill that would allow the USDA to purchase farm-raised vegetables and grains from farmers who have been certified organic and certified gluten-free, according to an aide.

The bill, introduced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersOn The Money: Bombshell NY Times report on Trump’s tax returns | US imposes tariffs on Chinese goods | Trump signs $1.1 trillion farm bill | GOP holds emergency vote on farm bill MORE (I-Vt.), would allow consumers to purchase wheat, barley, rye and oats from the USDA.

It would also exempt wheat from federal sugar tax and would require farmers to report their organic certification to the USDA annually.

The measure also would require that organic crops grown on farms certified organic be labeled “organic.”

The measure has received support from all Democrats, including Vilsacks own colleague, Sen. Jon Tester Jonathan (Jon) TesterTester: We need to make sure that all Americans can afford food The Hill’s Morning Report — Trump backs Kavanaugh, accuser in sexual assault hearing House panel approves new farm billHouse panel approves Trump farm billThe Hill’s 12:30 Report — Sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers — A look at what happened in the Senate and what’s nextSenate panel approves $1 trillion crop-pricing plan Senate panel approves final farm bill in House panel’s final push for farm bill Senate rejects farm bill, keeps food stamp payments as part of $1trn spending billHouse votes to delay final farm measure amid criticism of farm billSenate votes to keep farm bill from taking effectSenate votes not to extend farm bill to winter and springCongress passes $1 trn farm bill despite protests from environmental groupsSenate approves $100M crop-processing bill, but says more can be doneThe Hill is your home for politics, policy and analysis.

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