Senate May Use House Farm Bill as Framework

It is the U.S. Senate’s turn to work on the Farm Bill. After months of negotiations and a vote of 224 to 200, the U.S. House of Representatives on April 30^th passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.

Now, the Senate may have to reference that version.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told a group of the nation’s agricultural reporters that the Agriculture Committee will have to deal with food assistance conflicts and efforts to undo some 2025 tax provisions that have been two sticking points for a bipartisan Senate bill. He thinks using the House bill as a framework is the most likely scenario.

Grassley said, “We're probably going to have to work off of the House bill because of the inability of getting Democrat support to get the ag bill out of the Senate Ag Committee.”

Farm Groups Praise Farm Bill

For some farm groups, that may not be a bad outcome. Many organizations praised the bipartisan passage of the House version of the bill.

The American Farm Bureau urged the Senate to move the bipartisan legislation forward. The organization said in a statement, “Important updates to research and conservation, as well as increased loan limits and clarity on interstate commerce, will help farmers survive today’s challenges and give them the tools to thrive in the future.”

Farm Bill Challenges

Still, having the House bill as a framework won’t make it any easier to pass, according to Grassley. While Congress managed to address outdated provisions that historically are covered in farm bills, the broader bill is now nearly four years overdue and includes contentious provisions.

The food assistance program is one of the biggest conflicts according to Grassley. “[U.S. Agriculture Committee Chair Senator John Boozman] could get bipartisanship if we didn't have this food stamp problem…that he's pretty much lined up with what the House wants.”

Congressional Republicans have prioritized reductions in food assistance programs.

Proposition 12 Changes

In another argument, Democratic Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Adam Schiff of California opposed House-passed Farm Bill language that would preempt other state laws, including California’s Proposition 12 that sets minimum space requirements for raising livestock.

RELATED: American Farmland Owner looked at how a legislative proposal could stop California’s Proposition 12. 

Booker and Schiff said in a statement, "These laws set bare-minimum sanitation and space requirements for farm animals and are a lifeline to small, independent farmers who rely on the markets these laws have created. In order for a farm bill to pass in the Senate, poison pills such as Prop 12 preemption need to be removed."

Many farm groups have challenged Proposition 12 for years, claiming it violates interstate commerce laws.

Farm Bill Support

According to the House Agriculture Committee’s website, the Farm Bill is supported by more than 500 stakeholders. “These programs improve risk management tools for specialty crop producers, lower energy costs in rural America, and prioritize American commodities on the global stage,” the website stated.

It added, “The new farm bill will expand producers’ access to credit, promote precision agriculture, and enhance conservation programs for working lands.”

Senate Democrats said they are open to dialogue and look forward to working with Senate Republicans on a bipartisan bill. They released a joint statement clarifying their position of addressing farmer needs.

The statement read, “With a five-year high in small farm bankruptcies, the farm bill must address rising input costs, provide new opportunities for domestic markets, and fight for a trade agenda that works for everyone. Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring all states are treated equally by delaying the new SNAP cost shifts and addressing the needs of farm country.”

Grassley emphasized priorities for the new Farm Bill such as fertilizer research, competition legislation, and additional flexibility for the Conservation Reserve Program as lawmakers continue negotiations.

RELATED: Here is how contiguity elevated the value of a Midwest farm.