Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has said that a framework agreement is nearly completed and is on track to be announced shortly after 1 January. "We have a couple of things we’re negotiating on now, but we’re close," she said.

Ms Stabenow and House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) have been working to complete the long-awaited $1 trillion farm bill but are reportedly still working to bridge the difference between the $4 billion cuts in the food stamp programme in the Senate Farm bill and the $39 billion in cuts in the House version.

Last week, the House passed an extension of the current Farm Bill to the end of January. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) balked at an extension, saying a farm bill is more likely to pass if there was pressure to do so.