Senate farm bill stalls as Democrats balk over SNAP cuts and conservation reductions
The Senate Agriculture Committee's farm bill is unlikely to pass this year after Mitch McConnell's decisive vote, with Democrats opposing it over SNAP funding cuts and other provisions.
After a three-month absence, Senator Mitch McConnell voted to advance the Senate Agriculture Committee's farm bill, but the measure now faces a stalemate. Democrats rejected the draft because it leaves $186 billion in SNAP cuts, enacted by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, untouched and omits a delay to a cost-sharing rule that would increase state administrative expenses. Although Republicans control a 53-seat majority, they require 60 votes, and the looming November midterms make winning Democratic backing unlikely.
Critics also note reductions to conservation programs and the removal of the Save Our Bacon Act after lobbying by livestock groups. Small and medium-size farms risk tighter budgets, while states may have to reallocate funds away from SNAP. Without a deal, Congress will rely on temporary measures and must revisit the farm bill in 2027.
Why it matters
Failure to pass a new farm bill could jeopardize SNAP benefits for millions and destabilize funding for farmers and state agriculture programs.
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