“Commodities will be pitted against one another” if a Farm Bill isn’t passed, according to Rep. Angie Craig

Lawmakers have a full agenda for the coming weeks, but House Ag Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig is calling for the Farm Bill to be done.

It did not happen last session, and she says it will take a lot of bipartisan work to make it happen.

“We need a Farm Bill; we need a five-year full Farm Bill. Unfortunately, right now, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are intending to do what I’m calling a peace meal deal as part of the budget bill that’s coming up here in Washington over the course of the next couple of weeks. So they want to plus up reference prices and crop insurance, which you know, I agree it needs to happen, but it needs to happen as one of 12 titles in the Farm Bill. If it doesn’t happen through a traditional five-year Farm Bill coalition, then commodities are going to be pitted against one another, and we just don’t want that.”

Craig referenced the reconciliation process. Committee Chair GT Thompson recently said he wants to update safety nets and crop insurance through that bill. SNAP is another area likely to see significant debate. Thompson has stated that no cuts will be made to those who rely on those benefits.

Related Stories
House ag leaders had hoped to get the Farm Bill voted on by Easter, but no dates have been secured just yet.
OHFB President Bill Patterson shares an update from Washington on the group’s policy priorities and the issues shaping agriculture ahead of the 2026 planting season.
Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Kansas congressman Dan Glickman joined RFD News to share his outlook on agricultural policy, bipartisan cooperation, and the challenges facing farmers today.
The bill has already cleared the House Agriculture Committee and is headed toward a full House vote, but the timeline for final passage remains unclear. But the question is, when exactly? Could it possibly be a nice little gift for Easter?
UNL student fellow Alison Walbrecht shares her perspective on building support for agricultural research, extension, and teaching while gaining hands-on insight into federal policymaking.
National Pork Producers Council incoming president Rob Brenneman shares insights from the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, where producers gathered to discuss Farm Bill policy, sustainability, and other priorities for the year ahead.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Merck’s Gary Tiller discusses new virtual fencing technology and how fence-free livestock management could change the way ranchers manage land and cattle.
At CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses profitability, consumer demand, and how the integrated U.S.–Canada beef supply chain impacts cattle producers across North America.
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Association’s Trenton Priddy preview this year’s event, which is now streaming on RFD+
Dr. Peter Beetham, interim CEO of Cibus, joined us to discuss the status of EU gene-editing deregulation and its potential implications for agriculture.
Danny Munch of the American Farm Bureau joined us to discuss USDA’s latest farm income forecast, revisions to prior estimates, and what the updated data means for farmers heading into 2026.