WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — Now that the Farm Bill has passed the U.S. House, the legislation is awaiting Senate input. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) says lawmakers in his committee have some big priorities to tackle.
“I think the most important thing that we need to do is increase the credit limits,” Boozman said. “The 2018 Farm Bill was actually based on 2012 data. The world is totally different now than it was in 2012, so they don’t work anymore. You know, if you’re building a structure on your farm or making a loan for something, those loans, because the cost has increased so much, just don’t work anymore.”
Boozman says that while there is a lot of work to do, he reminds everyone that much of the Farm Bill’s heavy lifting was done through the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA).
There is no word yet on when the Senate will begin debating the Farm Bill, but our sources tell us it needs to be wrapped up by July or they risk running out of time. One measure that will not be in the Farm Bill is year-round sales of E-15. That amendment will now get a standalone vote.
Farm leaders in North Dakota say their growers are counting on it.
“The Farm Bill, we waited for three years to get this darn thing done,” says Matt Purdue. “Year-round E15 -- I mean, it’s been at the one-yard line for two years -- and we’re really disappointed that Congress has again missed an opportunity to get that done, to provide that strong, stable demand for commodities to grow here in the United States. Hoping that we get the Farm Bill over to the Senate, I think there’s some room for improvement over there, but we’ve got to get this E15 thing done, too. I mean, that is really addressing some of the root causes we’ve been facing in agriculture. We’ve got to get it across the finish line.”
Perdue says the need for year-round E15 sales is real and warns that there could be serious consequences if that standalone bill does not pass.
“The simple reality is, our input costs have skyrocketed -- not just in the last few years -- but in the last six weeks,” Purdue continues. “The reality is that crop prices are below break-even. The reality is that family farmers across the state of North Dakota and across the country are facing a growing crisis, and we can play all the inside-the-beltway games that we want to play. At the end of the day, we have to get things done to really respond to the challenges that we are facing in farm country.”
Perdue says Congress needs to start recognizing the hard-working men and women across the ag industry. Congressional ag leaders say the E15 vote should happen on May 13.
Senate lawmakers are not the only officials hoping the Farm Bill reaches President Trump’s desk quickly. In this exclusive interview, RFD-TV correspondent Frank McCaffrey spoke with two House members, Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas and John Rose of Tennessee about what they believe should be the top priorities for the cornerstone ag policy.
“Because in the old days, when I first started, when I was on the Ag Committee — I was in the Ag Committee for over eight years — the Farm Bill used to be very bipartisan,” said Rep. Cuellar (TX-28). “We need to get the Farm Bill back the way it was. Unfortunately, we got the far right, and the far left, and a lot of us in the middle have to make sure we govern.”
Cuellar says the bill covers a wide range of agricultural priorities, including key risk management tools: “Well, there are so many things there from cotton to cattle, just name it. Crop insurance is something that’s a very important part of it for that insurance in there.”
One of the most critical — and often overlooked — aspects of the Farm Bill is the financial stability it provides to producers. Cuellar told RFD News there is a lot about the Farm Bill you do not hear about or read about in the reports, including its significance to farmers who need financial backing. He says having a Farm Bill in place gives lenders confidence when working with producers.
“Because look, if you’re an ag, your banker wants to know a little stability. They want to know: Is there predictability in it?” Cuellar explained. “And if there’s a Farm Bill in place, the banker knows there’s stability. Without a Farm Bill, there’s no predictability, there’s no stability. And it’s hard on the farmer or the rancher to go up to the banker and say, ‘Hey, I need a little help here.’ So it brings stability in financing for the ag community.“
Meanwhile, Tennessee Congressman John Rose (R-TN) voiced support for the legislation in a statement.
“As an eighth-generation Tennessee farmer, I know how important it is to get it right when it comes to agriculture policy,” Rep. Rose (TN-06) wrote. “That’s why I’m a proud supporter of the 2026 Farm Bill. It offers long-overdue legislative certainty, at a time when our nation’s growers and producers face record-high input costs and painfully low commodity prices.”
Frank McCaffrey reporting for RFD NEWS.
