The U-S Senate Agriculture Committee passed a farm bill last week but Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns already introduced and is co-sponsoring several amendments to make changes.

The amendments Senator Johanns introduced would treat rice and peanuts the same as other commodity crops, studies the impact of the ARC Program, prevents double regulation of pesticide applications and prohibits taxpayer dollars to pay foreign farmers. His other amendment closes a loophole in the SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that prevents states from automatically enrolling people who are not eligible to receive the benefit.

Senator Johanns is also co-sponsoring amendments that would prohibit EPA from releasing data on livestock producers, limit federal payments to high income farmers and assistance to beginning and veteran farmers. Senator Johanns also co-sponsored Nebraska U-S Senator Deb Fischer’s amendment that repeals duplicative paperwork requirements placed on imported seed.