House Farm Bill Fails on Floor

House Farm Bill Fails on Floor

The U.S. House of Representatives H.R. 2, Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (the Farm Bill) failed on the House floor today (213-198). In addition to supporting agricultural and food policy, the Farm Bill has major implications for wildlife and our environment. Unfortunately, the House Farm Bill also contains anti-wildlife provisions that would gut species protections, including extreme rollbacks of environmental safeguards on our national forests and the "Poisoned Pollinator Provision," which would severely weaken key Endangered Species Act protections as they apply to the registration and use of pesticides.

Former Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO, Jamie Rappaport Clark, issued the following statement:

“This bill was fundamentally flawed from the start. The House needed to pass a balanced Farm Bill that supports farmers and conservation but instead they listened to the corporate interests of pesticide makers, timber companies and anti-wildlife crusaders, among others. This bill was full of controversial provisions that will damage our forests, wildlife and their habitat. Our recommendations were ignored and with anti-wildlife protections, like the ‘Poisoned Pollinator Provision’, this bill failed miserably on the floor.

“Congress should now craft a balanced Farm Bill that protects wildlife, forests and people who rely on Farm Bill programs, and to make sure that the toxic provisions in the House bill never become law.”