Farm Bill: SNAP funding delays final legislation

The 2018 Farm Bill expired on Oct. 1, leaving the nation's agricultural and food policy framework without a current legal basis.

Three key issues define the current legislative standoff in Washington.

First, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) drives the budgetary conflict. In the 2018 legislation, SNAP accounted for approximately three-quarters of the bill's planned expenditures, which totaled $428 billion. Republicans have sought to reduce this program's size for multiple cycles, while Democrats are attempting to reverse cuts made to SNAP in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or HR1. This program now dominates the farm bill's funding structure, making it the central point of negotiation.

Second, the legislative timeline has stalled due to procedural disagreements. A House version passed earlier in the year, but the Senate version remains awaiting a floor vote. Progress in the Senate Agriculture Committee was halted in August over disputes regarding benefit cost-sharing and delays to HR1 changes. After a month-long recess, the committee passed a version on party lines in September. The bill now requires 60 votes to pass the Senate, a threshold that necessitates bipartisan cooperation despite the partisan divisions within the committee.

Third, the traditional coalition supporting farm bills is shifting from regional and crop-specific interests to partisan lines. Historically, legislators bridged divides by balancing topics like forestry, conservation, and nutrition. Now, experts note that the focus has shifted toward subtracting funding rather than adding programs. Jonathan Coppess, an agriculture law expert at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, stated that rural development and research funding are currently held hostage by the SNAP debate. He described this dynamic as political dynamite that disrupts the broader coalition.

The farm bill process has become more contentious over the last two decades. For the first time since 1962, a farm bill was defeated on the House floor in 2013. Since then, the 2018 and 2023 renewals faced similar struggles over SNAP funding. The 2023 renewal included few changes after continued disagreements. When Republicans held the presidency and both chambers of Congress, they used budget reconciliation procedures to cut SNAP and increase farm payments through HR1. This approach has left orphan programs in the current bill waiting for reappropriation.

Stakeholders express concern that the current draft does not address immediate challenges facing producers. Mike Stranz, vice president of advocacy for the National Farmers Union, noted that farmers have relied on temporary disaster assistance programs totaling more than $100 billion over the last 10 years. He cited recent actions, such as the $8 billion set aside by President Donald Trump for high diesel prices, as examples of ad-hoc solutions that a comprehensive bill should replace. Stranz argued that the bill needs to tackle larger issues like corporate market power and regional food systems rather than cutting from the programs that assist those with the most limited access to food.

Jordan Dux, a policy analyst for the Nebraska Farm Bureau, suggested that the coalition is not fully fractured, noting that Democrats voted for the House version. He pointed to unanimous passage of an amendment package in the Senate committee and collaboration on ethanol and animal welfare standards as evidence of continued cooperation. Dux believes the agricultural sector is ready to finalize the bill to move toward larger conversations. The outcome of the upcoming midterm elections will influence how Republicans proceed in the final weeks of this Congress. The Senate must secure 60 votes to pass its version, requiring give and take between the parties before both chambers can agree on a final text.