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From Reason.com:
Like a phoenix made of pork, the Farm Bill has risen from the ashes. And for opponents of farm subsidies and wasteful government spending, that’s bad news.
The measure, which had languished for two years in Congress, passed in the House this week. The Senate is expected to vote on the Farm Bill next week.
> At least one member of the chamber, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, has [said](http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2014/01/30/grassley-to-vote-against-farm-bill/article?nclick_check=1) he’ll vote against it. But most observersexpect the bill will sail through the Senate, and President Barack Obama has said he’ll sign it if it reaches his desk in its current form. In short, it appears the Farm Bill is a done deal.
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The most notable change in this year’s Farm Bill is the elimination of direct farm subsidies, the multi-billion-dollar handout to mostly wealthy farmers. That’s a good thing. But in its place, Congress has substituted taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance. And the bill taxpayers may foot for crop insurance subsidies—at least $89 billion over ten years—may outweigh what taxpayers would have contributed in direct subsidies. There are other many other costly bells and whistles to be found in the bill… [Read more](http://reason.com/archives/2014/02/01/this-farm-bill-stinks).
