Full Breakdown
Senate Republicans Release Farm Bill 2.0 Discussion Draft
6/24/2026, 2:54:10 AM
Farm Bill 2.0 Unveiled
On June 23 2026 Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the draft of the Agricultural Act of 2026, a farm bill dubbed Farm Bill 2.0. The draft raises farm-loan limits, upgrades broadband and water systems, adds conservation programs, strengthens crop-insurance tools, and creates a permanent policy home for fishing. It retains “Buy American” nutrition provisions and doubles funding for market-access programs.
Context & Stakeholders
House passed its version in April 2026 after pesticide disputes. Draft excludes Save Our Bacon Act and California’s Proposition 12 law. Chairman Boozman leads; ranking member Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is counterpart. Leader Chuck Schumer opposes Save Our Bacon provision. Agriculture Chair Glenn Thompson (R-PA) welcomed it. Groups—including National Pork Producers Council, Farm Action, National Milk Producers Federation, and American Sugar Alliance—issued statements.
Core Provisions
The bill stabilizes tools for commodity and dairy producers and expands credit for farmers. Conservation initiatives—Forest Conservation Easement Program and State Conservation Assistance Program—expand land-management. Broadband upgrades target 53 % of counties that lost population in census; funding improves drinking-water reliability. Market Access and Development budgets are doubled to boost exports.
Official Statements
Boozman said he is “working closely” with Klobuchar and warned “we need Democratic votes to pass floor,” noting bridge and E15. Senate Agriculture Democrats praised but said it fails to restore SNAP funding. Thompson said looks forward to “working with Chairman Boozman and getting a farm bill to President Trump’s desk soon.”
Criticism & Opposition
Farm Action called removal of whole-farm assessments and EQIP cuts “inadequate.” NPPC praised draft but decried Prop 12 omission, “unpredictable wave of conflicting state laws.” Schumer called Save Our Bacon exclusion a “giveaway to Big Ag and meat monopolies.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Senate draft omits the Save Our Bacon Act and Prop 12, while SNAP-related provisions remain unsettled. No funding amounts are disclosed for many new programs, leaving budgetary impacts unclear.
Timeline
- June 23 2026 – Draft released; two-week comment period.
- Late July 2026 – Committee markup before August recess.
- Fall 2026 – Senate floor debate and possible conference with the House bill.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If you feed America, this bill is for you.” — Senator John Boozman, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman
- “Congress should be lowering food costs, not rewarding the monopolies driving them up,” — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
- “This bill does not address the devastating cuts to SNAP or the shift to state taxpayers passed into law as part of HR 1,” — Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats
- “an important win for the independent hog farmers who fought to protect this market.” — Farm Action President Angela Huffman
What’s Next
The committee will markup the draft before the August recess, after which the bill moves to Senate floor debate in the fall. Negotiations will focus on SNAP funding, a possible Prop 12 amendment, and separate legislation for year-round E15 and a bridge payment for row-crop producers.
