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House Ag Chairman releases draft Farm Bill, drawing mixed reactions

The chairman of the U.S. House Ag Committee has released a draft farm bill that he says will provide certainty to the nation’s farmers and ranchers.

Glenn “G.T.” Thompson says the bill includes many key policy changes that weren’t addressed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law last year.

Policy changes include establishing a Specialty Crop Emergency Assistance Framework, updates for the Food for Peace Program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and clarifying states and cities can only set livestock production standards for animals actually raised in their own state.

Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig says she’s still reviewing the bill, but it appears that it fails to meet the moment facing farmers and working people. She says farmers need Congress to act quickly to end inflationary tariffs, stabilize trade relationships, expand domestic market opportunities like year-round E15 and help lower input costs. 

Several ag groups have responded positively to the proposal, including the National Pork Producers Council in support of the Prop 12 fix, and the Farm Credit Council pleased to see improved access to farm loans and financial certainty.

The Environmental Working Group has responded with objections to the proposal saying it guts conservation programs, fails to restore SNAP funding and a provision in the bill would erase or override state and local pesticide safety laws.

The House Ag Committee is scheduled to start marking up the new farm bill on February 23.

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