The U.S. House failed to pass a sweeping five-year farm bill with sharp cuts to food stamps, setting the stage for an uphill fight in Congress to craft a new law. The Republican-led House soundly rejected a $500 billion measure by a vote of 195-234, failing to muster enough support from Democrats and Republicans concerned over the size of the cuts to the country's popular food stamp program.

Congress should reform U.S. farm subsidies, and end a $5 billion a year "direct payment", as part of delivering an overdue overhaul of the farm program this year, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday.

To this observer, it appears the position of southern agriculture is stronger in the 2013 farm bill debate than in the 2012 farm bill debate.