Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., who worked earlier this year to separate agriculture and nutrition programs into two bills, said Wednesday he will not vote for a farm bill that combines the two programs.

Reacting to reports that the House and Senate conferees will keep the two key farm bill programs together, Stutzman said, “As a farmer and a conservative, I cannot vote for a farm bill that reverses a key reform to separate farm policy and food stamps."

“Earlier this year, the House won a historic victory for transparency and common sense by rejecting a bloated, trillion dollar spending package that was a farm bill in name only and instead passing farm and food stamp legislation separately,” he said. “The conference committee should continue that work by including separate reauthorization dates for these different programs. Now is not the time for Congress to take a step backwards by returning to business as usual.”