With drought affecting more than half of the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has named more than 1,000 counties in 26 states as natural-disaster areas, the largest such declaration ever.

Peri & Sons, a Nevada-based onion grower, has agreed to pay a record total of $2.3 million in back wages to 1,365 workers, along with a civil penalty of $500,000 for violations under the H-2A program.

Today, the House Agriculture Committee approved its version of the farm bill by a vote of 35 to 11. The bill would reduce spending by $35 billion over 10 years, mainly by cutting about $16.5 billion from the food stamps program.

Another closely watched vote was on the amendment offered by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC). The amendment would have prohibited mandatory promotion and research orders, or checkoff programs.

Progress continues on the Farm Bill, as the U.S. Senate successfully passed its version by a vote of 64-35.