The Senate Agriculture Committee released its draft farm bill text on Monday, a key development with a little over a month remaining before funding for numerous farm programs expires on December 31. This bill is especially significant for Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, as it represents her final chance to influence farm and nutrition policy before her congressional tenure ends.
However, with time running short, it remains unclear whether lawmakers can complete the legislation or will need to extend the current law once again.
The Senate and House versions of the farm bill differ on several critical points, which could complicate negotiations. The Senate proposal includes a 5% increase in reference prices for farm safety net programs like Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), whereas the House version calls for a more substantial increase of 10-20%.
Additionally, the Senate rejects the House’s plan to link food stamp benefits to inflation and proposes a shorter restriction on the Agriculture Secretary’s use of Section 5 authority under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
Funding is another contentious issue. Both bills exceed baseline spending and require cost offsets or budget waivers to pass.
Senate Faces Deadline to Resolve Farm Bill Disputes on Funding, SNAP, and Safety Nets
The Senate bill aims to save $5.4 billion over the next decade by limiting the CCC’s Section 5 authority for five years, a compromise that aligns partially with House Republicans’ proposal for a ten-year restriction. This approach demonstrates some willingness to find a middle ground while ensuring the bill remains viable.
Food assistance programs, particularly the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are a major point of contention. The House bill proposes significant cuts to SNAP, redirecting the savings to support the farm safety net. Stabenow has strongly opposed these reductions, calling them the largest in three decades and reaffirming her commitment to protecting food assistance programs as part of the legislation.
To address farmers’ immediate concerns, the Senate bill includes provisions to make PLC and ARC payments more accessible and allow partial or early payments. These measures are intended to provide timely relief as farmers face rising input costs and other financial challenges. Stabenow emphasized the urgency of these changes, noting the delays in traditional payment schedules under these programs.
Despite progress on the draft text, significant hurdles remain. The bill has yet to secure bipartisan support, and no markup has been scheduled in the Senate. Ranking Member John Boozman criticized the timing of the release, describing it as a last-minute partisan effort. As Congress races against the clock, lawmakers must resolve key differences and funding challenges to avoid yet another extension of the current law.
