Source:POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 8/3/18

President Donald Trump on Thursday jumped into the farm bill debate once again — on Twitter, of course — in an effort to tip the scales toward House Republicans ahead of conference negotiations.

"When the House and Senate meet on the very important Farm Bill - we love our farmers - hopefully they will be able to leave the WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR FOOD STAMPS PROVISION that the House approved," the president wrote on Thursday afternoon.

Senate griping: Trump again suggested that the Senate needs to eliminate its filibuster rule — an apparent recognition of the fact that new work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would not attract the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture to overcome any filibuster on a bill that includes such requirements, which Democrats largely oppose.

Math note: It's worth noting that it's far from clear the GOP would have 51 votes for SNAP changes, even if you got around the 60 vote threshold. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), for example, wrote a letter this week urging a rejection of the House SNAP work requirements calling them "completely unworkable" for her state.

Anti-hunger pushback: Anti-hunger advocates were, predictably, unimpressed with the president's tweet. "Taking food from people who don't meet a work requirement will hurt many people who are already working but in low-wage jobs with unsteady hours as well as people with serious health conditions who fail to overcome red tape and bureaucratic hurdles to qualify for an exemption," said Stacy Dean, vice president for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "Children, too, would be harmed because when parents lose SNAP benefits, they have fewer resources to feed their families." Dean urged lawmakers to go with the Senate farm bill's SNAP policy.

Right flank pumped: The Foundation for Government Accountability, a hardline conservative welfare reform group, lauded Trump's tweet. "The president is right — the House's improved food stamp work requirements should stay in the Farm Bill," said Kristina Rasmussen, vice president for federal affairs at FGA. "There has never been a better time for welfare reform with today's booming economy."