Farm bill negotiations end without agreement; doubts increase about whether bill can pass this year

Negotiations on the farm bill stumbled yesterday.  House and Senate negotiators met for 90 minutes Wednesday evening, and for an hour Thursday morning, but talks broke up without a deal  on cuts to nutrition aid, such as food stamps, or an insurance-based federal crop safety net to replace direct payments to farmers.     The House of Representatives recessed Thursday evening for the Thanksgiving break, the Senate is expected to leave today.  The House will return the first week of December, but the Senate is not expected back until December 20. Read More