Senate Agriculture Committee Moves Farm Bill 2.0 Forward

The Senate Agriculture Committee approved the “Farm Bill 2.0” out of committee with a 12-11 vote along party lines. The narrow margin followed the return of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after a serious fall at his Washington home in June. During his absence, Democrats had blocked the measure, preventing a vote.

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The farm bill, a comprehensive agriculture and food-aid package traditionally renewed every five years, has not been enacted since 2018. The House passed its version of the bill in April, setting the stage for Senate consideration. A key point of contention is a provision that would require states to share the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding when state payment error rates exceed a specified threshold.

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Republicans, led by Committee Chair Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), argue the SNAP provision is intended to help states reduce error rates that can reach 20-25 percent. Democrats, including ranking member Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), contend that states need more time and resources to meet the target, citing concerns from states such as Minnesota and Colorado. The Democratic caucus rejected a one-year delay offered by the chair, describing it as insufficient.

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Sen. Boozman defended the SNAP provision, emphasizing its goal of “getting states under control” and noting that the committee was “running out of time” to pass the legislation. Sen. Klobuchar acknowledged the offer of a one-year delay as a “big start” but stressed the need for additional resources and a longer timeline for states to lower error rates.

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• “The rest of the story is this: we offered a one-year delay with no payment, no cost. It was rejected,” — Sen. John Boozman

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