The House Agriculture Committee passed a farm bill April 18th on a party-line vote afternoon (see story below National Egg Farmers Support Rep. King’s HR4879). It was a contentious vote due to some changes in the SNAP nutrition title (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The really good news is the committee adopted Rep. Steve King, R-IA, to prevent states from regulating how foods are grown or processed in other states. His bill “Protecting the Interstate Commerce Act” (PICA) was introduced specifically to target the California egg bill and other states following them. Rep. King proudly announced “We can’t let every state decide what’s going on in the other states or we refuse to accept their products.” Rep. King heard from the National Egg Farmers who have been frustrated by California’s animal housing requirements with additional impediments expected in another upcoming ballet initiative. The committee rejected, 12-33, a substitute to King’s amendment by Rep. Jeff Denham, R-CA (Denham opposed King’s bill last time) that would have required USDA to report on existing state laws that affect the production, sale and labeling of agricultural products.