Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue suggested to lawmakers that his department could soften the definition of able-bodied adults who are subject to food stamp work requirements, but he declined to budge from a USDA reorganization plan to relocate two research agencies out of the nation's capital.

Lawmakers hope to include provisions in a new farm bill that would reduce food waste by encouraging donations of ugly produce and surplus commodities that would otherwise be discarded.

What's in a handful of words? Potentially some words added at the last minute to the 1996 welfare reform law are at the heart of a dispute that's stalling the new farm bill.