Local food advocates are marking National Farmers Market Week this week (Aug. 5-11) by celebrating the growth of farmers markets across the country. But a cloud is hanging over the celebration.

A USDA savings account for rural electric and telephone cooperatives that allows them to earn substantially more interest than they could from private bankers has become a major source of potential funding for a new farm bill.

The fate of the farm bill this year could hinge on whether House and Senate negotiators can find a compromise on tightening work requirements for food stamp recipients in ways that could appeal to at least some Senate Democrats.

The passage of the House and Senate farm bills over two weeks and the overwhelming, bipartisan margin of support for the Senate measure is providing new optimism that Congress can agree on a final version that President Donald Trump will sign this fall.

Leaders of the Senate Agriculrure Committee are working this week to protect their farm bill from floor amendments that could cut crop insurance or other key programs.