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D.C. (NewsDakota.com) U-S House and Senate leaders are getting closer to approving a farm bill. Several farm groups from North Dakota were in Washington this week lobbying for certain amendments that would benefit farmers and ranchers. Dakota Plains Cooperative General Manager Ken Astrup was one of those who traveled to Washington. D.C.

North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer serves on the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. He said the five-year, bipartisan bill includes nearly $40 billion in savings, strengthens and provides options for crop insurance and reforms the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Cramer said, unlike the Senate Farm Bill, the House version does not tie crop insurance to compliance with conservation programs. Additionally, the House bill saves $6 billion by consolidating duplicating conservation programs and streamlining the delivery of incentive funds to farmers, ranchers, and landowners.