Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 5/10/18

We read with curious interest The Wall Street Journal article on Wednesday that President Donald Trump is threatening to veto the farm bill if it doesn't contain stricter work requirements on SNAP recipients - a central theme of the House farm bill.

But how real is that threat? Would Trump, who on the campaign trail loved to talk about how much he loved farmers, really veto a farm bill?

Reading the tea leaves: Some saw it as a shot across the bow of the Freedom Caucus. Others regarded it as a clear warning to the Senate: "Oh you think you're not going to do anything on SNAP? Think again. POTUS will veto it." Later on Wednesday, White House Legislative Affairs director Marc Short told reporters that the president would not issue a veto threat over work requirements.

For his part, Conaway welcomed the possibility. Conaway said Wednesday he considered the report as "music to my ears" because he expects Trump will be satisfied with the House's language to impose tougher work requirements on able-bodied adult SNAP recipients who don't have dependents - changes that would affect an estimated 5 million to 7 million people.

White House chat: Conaway and Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts are expected to meet with the president on Thursday to discuss the farm bill, a Senate aide told POLITICO. Trump will meet with both lawmakers and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue at 2 p.m. today, the White House confirmed.

"The president's full-throated support for work requirements would be a huge help to some of our folks who are conflicted by wanting to do what we're trying to do on the SNAP program but have some lingering aches, anxieties over the farm bill,"  Conaway said during a briefing with reporters that followed the Journal's report.