WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig of Minnesota on Tuesday unveiled the framework for the Farm and Family Relief Act, positioning the proposal as a broad response to farm income losses, higher food prices, and looming changes to federal nutrition assistance programs.
The proposal centers on three pillars — family relief, farm relief, and tariff reform — and is framed by Democrats as a counterweight to President Trump’s trade policies and recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Craig said the combination of tariffs, higher input costs, and a pending SNAP cost shift to states has strained both farm balance sheets and household food budgets.
Under the framework, the bill would delay SNAP benefit cost shifts to states by four years and administrative cost shifts by two years, providing what Craig described as “breathing room” for states and food assistance recipients. Supporters argue the delay would help prevent benefit reductions or state withdrawals from the program as food prices continue to rise.
On the farm side, the legislation proposes roughly $29 billion in one-time economic assistance to producers impacted by tariff-related market losses and high costs. Payments would be available to a broader range of producers than existing programs, including specialty crop growers, foresters, sugar beet producers, and operations with prevented planting acres.
The bill also seeks to reassert congressional authority over tariffs, limiting the executive branch’s ability to impose broad trade actions without legislative oversight. Craig said restoring predictability in trade policy is critical to stabilizing export markets and input costs.
Democratic members of the House Agriculture Committee joined Craig at the announcement, citing estimates that U.S. farmers have absorbed more than $50 billion in losses over the past three crop years, with the largest hit projected in 2025–26.
(Tags: Farm Policy, Tariffs, SNAP, Trade, House Agriculture Committee, Farm Income)
