Farm Bill Moves Forward, but SNAP Debate Could Shape Final Outcome

Jun 29, 2026

After years of extensions and delays, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee has released its long-awaited Farm Bill discussion draft, providing the clearest signal yet that Congress may finally be moving toward completing a new farm bill.

For agriculture, the release represents an important step forward. Farm groups, commodity organizations, and state agriculture leaders have repeatedly emphasized the need for updated legislation to provide certainty for producers, strengthen conservation programs, support research, expand trade opportunities, and maintain critical risk management tools.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) welcomed the Senate proposal.

“NASDA applauds Chairman Boozman for beginning the process of finalizing the Farm Bill 2.0,” said NASDA CEO Ted McKinney. “As this process gets underway in the Senate, NASDA remains committed to advocating for a bipartisan farm bill that will advance the food, fiber and fuel provided by American agriculture.”

McKinney noted that agriculture accounts for roughly one-fifth of U.S. economic activity and supports nearly 23 million jobs.

Despite the progress, major challenges remain.

According to Bloomberg Law, Senate Democrats have raised concerns regarding changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), arguing that nutrition-related provisions could complicate efforts to build bipartisan support for final passage.

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Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.