Roberts plans vote against farm bill

will be a “no” vote on the farm bill.

“I am disappointed to say that the negatives of this Farm Bill outweigh the positives,” Roberts said in a statement Monday evening.

“When you look at the policies of this report, we have a return to government subsidies and farmers planting for the government.”

Roberts — whose agriculture policy bona fides are decades old — also thinks food stamps weren’t cut enough.

“What we have today is a ballooning and expensive set of federal nutrition programs with a patchwork of eligibility standards, loopholes, and frankly unneeded give-a-ways to state governments,” the statement said.

It isn’t clear if Roberts can take votes with him. The House may vote as soon as tomorrow on the farm bill package, which is two years behind schedule.

This story was originally published January 28, 2014 at 9:20 AM with the headline "Roberts plans vote against farm bill."