Senate Adjourns Without Finishing 2012 Ag Appropriations; Votes On Potatoes & Millionaires

FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill awaits completion...
The Senate adjourned on Friday for a weeklong recess without a final vote on the FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The gang did manage to get two pieces of business accomplished: White potatoes got a free pass, and Ag subsidies for millionaires got the ax.

Earlier today, the Senate voted 84-15 to bar individuals with more than $1 million in adjusted gross income from getting agriculture subsidies. The current limit is $1.25 million in adjusted gross income. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) urged her colleagues to vote against the measure, arguing that the Senate and House Agriculture committees are working on a proposal to address the direct payments issue within 10 days. The two committees sent a joint letter to the Super Committee on Monday.

On Wednesday, the Senate by unanimous consent approved an amendment that weakens the nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs, sponsored by Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) with the gracious assistance of the National Potato Council's massive PR campaign. Read all about it here.