The Fence Post reports that Senate leaders named nine conferees to the farm bill Aug. 1, and Kirsten Gillibrand did not get picked. Senate Democrats put the less-senior Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota on the panel to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill. Heitkamp has a tough re-election this fall in a state in which agriculture is particularly important to the economy, while Gillibrand represents a blue state where she is expected to win in November against Republican Chele Chiavacci Farley. Congressperson Paul Tonko, who represents all of Albany County and part of Rensselaer County, was named by Nancy Pelosi to the conference committee July 19. Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) did not get named by Paul Ryan among the Republicans on the committee that will attempt to work out the differences between their versions of H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Read the full story at The Fence Post.