Another year, another depressing farm bill debate

It’s farm bill season again. That’s right: time for our divided government to get together and reauthorize the five-year omnibus bill that affects everyone who grows, sells or eats food—or at least to go through the motions for a while before punting again like last year.

The House and Senate committees have each passed a bill. Both bills cut spending, some of it the same and some of it different. Some of these cuts are good steps toward food reform, as they take aim at federal subsidies for farms that don’t necessarily need the help.

But except where there’s money to be saved, legislators are resistant to much change that comes at the expense of agribusiness power. Last week, the Senate voted on several amendments. For instance: Sen. Sanders proposed allowing—not requiring, allowing—states to mandate labeling of GMO food. Sanders caucuses with the majority, theoretically the party more likely to take the consumer’s side against business interests. Still, his amendment lost 71-27.