WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — The Senate Agriculture Committee is preparing another attempt to advance Farm Bill 2.0, with a business meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., spoke with RFD-TV Markets Specialist Tony St. James earlier this week about the legislation, what he heard from farmers during the August recess, and what comes next for the Farm Bill.
Boozman said the committee’s ability to advance the Agricultural Act of 2026 could depend on attendance and whether additional bipartisan support emerges. The meeting is scheduled for September 16 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern in the Russell Senate Office Building.
The proposal would update farm, rural development, conservation, research, and nutrition policies while authorizing year-round E15 sales. Boozman said the package incorporates more than 100 bills and priorities developed by members of both parties.
If the committee advances the bill, the next major hurdle would be Senate floor consideration. Boozman said Majority Leader John Thune has committed to moving the measure once the committee is ready.
The House and Senate would still need to resolve differences before final passage. Boozman said staff on both sides have been working through those differences and believes the remaining gaps are manageable.
FULL INTERVIEW: Sen. Boozman Discusses Senate Agriculture Committee Takes Up Farm Bill 2.0 Again
In his exclusive interview with RFD-TV, Sen. Boozman said the committee will gavel in and vote on the bill again after recessing the August markup.
He said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was absent, which affected the committee’s previous attempt to advance the legislation. If McConnell is not present, Boozman said Democrats would need to support the bill for it to advance.
The committee’s August vote did not advance the legislation. The Senate Agriculture Committee is now scheduled to hold another business meeting Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Boozman: Farmers Are Facing Difficult Conditions
Boozman said he heard from producers across the country during the August work period.
He said the concerns were consistent across the states he visited, including Arkansas, Michigan, Colorado, Florida, California and Hawaii.
“It didn’t matter where we were at; we just heard all about how difficult it was, and it didn’t really matter what you were growing,” Boozman said. “If you were growing something out of the ground, it was difficult, and you were losing money.”
Boozman said those challenges extend beyond individual farms into rural communities where agriculture represents a significant part of the economy.
Farm Bill Would Update Agricultural Policies
Boozman said Farm Bill 2.0 includes policy changes intended to update provisions that have not kept pace with current conditions.
He pointed specifically to agricultural financing limits, saying the 2018 Farm Bill was based on 2012 data.
“It’s a different world right now as far as, you know, what it takes to build something, buy something,” Boozman said. “And so when you borrow the money for that, you’ve got to get those limits up.”
The Senate Agriculture Committee’s current Farm Bill 2.0 proposal includes more than 100 bipartisan priorities and provisions addressing farm programs, conservation, rural development, financing and other agricultural policies.
Senate and House Bills Still Have Differences
Boozman said Senate and House Agriculture Committee leaders have been communicating about the legislation.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson and Boozman have discussed differences between the two bills, and staff members are also working together.
Boozman said the Senate proposal largely followed Thompson’s House legislation, with some modifications.
One difference involves E15. Boozman said the House passed year-round E15 provisions separately, while the Senate included the provision in Farm Bill 2.0. The Senate Agriculture Committee’s proposal currently authorizes year-round E15 sales.
Next Steps After Committee Approval
Boozman said advancing the bill through the Senate Agriculture Committee would be the first step, followed by consideration on the Senate floor.
If the Senate and House ultimately pass different versions, the legislation would then have to be reconciled.
“We’ve been working over the summer, you know, talking to our friends on the House side,” Boozman said.
He said the goal is to move quickly because of the limited time remaining in the legislative calendar.
Boozman Calls for More Farm Bill Action
Boozman said farmers need both a longer-term Farm Bill and short-term assistance.
He said lawmakers are also working on another bridge payment for producers.
“All of those things are so important to keeping our farmers in business,” Boozman said.
He said farmers are facing a difficult situation in which expanding acreage does not necessarily improve profitability.
“Right now they’re losing money for the acreage that they plant,” Boozman said.
Boozman said agriculture needs higher commodity prices, more value-added processing in the United States, and approaches that improve long-term sustainability.
He also encouraged farmers to communicate with their members of Congress about the importance of completing the Farm Bill.
