House and Senate farm bill negotiators have released their long-awaited compromise bill that now heads for the full House and Senate.

As expected, the ’18 farm bill deal recedes to the Senate in leaving out tougher House GOP food stamp work requirements but pares SNAP funding by almost $1.1 billion. That, through improved data accuracy, quality control and cuts in aid to community food projects.

The final version keeps and expands the EQIP and CSP conservation programs and increases CRP acreage from 23-million acres to 27-million. Producers are given new flexibility to choose between ARC and PLC, with PLC reference prices allowed to float upwards based on 85-percent of five-year Olympic average, if there’s a rebound in market prices.

The AGI or adjusted gross income eligibility limit for farm payments remains at $900,000 and there’s no limit on the number of farm managers eligible for payments. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley had sought a limit of one, “actively-engage” manager. Instead, the final bill allows first cousins, nieces and nephews with invested capital, labor and management, to receive farm payments.

Ag staffers defended the practice in a Monday press briefing as a compromise to keep relatives on the farm, where costs are high and the average farmer’s age is more than 60.

Also, in the final bill is a new Dairy Margin Coverage program to help smaller dairies. Industrial hemp can now be covered by crop insurance contracts but is not eligible for Title 1 subsidies.