Work continues during the lame duck session of Congress on approving a new Farm Bill, but work requirements for food stamp recipients continue to be a major stumbling block. Republican Representative Ralph Abraham from Richland Parish is pushing for work or educational requirements for able-bodied adults, but Democrats want to completely rewrite the bill.

"The negotiators are working diligently, but the House Democrats are delaying in order to push the House version into the next congress," said Abraham.

Abraham is hopeful a new farm bill can be passed before Congress adjourns for 2018.

"I'm certainly doing what we can from my office and my perch to move this thing out of the senate committee, get this thing done, before we have a new congress take effect," said Abraham.

Abraham said it’s time to play hard ball, and he’s ready to do that.

"We can ram this through, and I think that's what we've got to do at this time, because we know that the alternative is not going to be good for the Louisiana farmer, the American farmer, in my opinion, not for anybody," said Abraham.

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