Ag Legislators Eye “Skinny” Farm Bill This Fall: What It Means for U.S. Agriculture

With farm policy at a critical juncture, U.S. lawmakers are gearing up for what’s being called a “skinny” farm bill this fall — a pared-down legislative package focused on essential agriculture updates left out of earlier megabill negotiations.

House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) says the streamlined bill, or “farm bill 2.0,” will target bipartisan priorities and cost under $8 billion — far less than the $67 billion in farm-related spending already passed through the reconciliation package.

Key issues on the table include:

• Addressing industrial hemp regulations
• Handling lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers
• Navigating California’s Proposition 12 sow housing rules
• Reauthorizing the Conservation Reserve Program
• Setting limits for USDA direct and guaranteed loans
• Expanding rural broadband assistance
• Preventing commodity program expirations after 2031

Nutrition assistance is also in the mix, with proposals to expand SNAP eligibility for ex-offenders and families of young adults in school, as well as modifying SNAP rules to eliminate the so-called “poverty cliff,” allowing gradual reductions in benefits as recipients’ financial situations improve.