WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The Farm Bill has cleared the House Agriculture Committee, but it has yet to reach the full House or Senate, leaving farmers and lawmakers waiting on next steps. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28), the democrat from Texas, says the legislation is facing political challenges from both parties.
“You got some people on the far right that think it’s too much money, then we got people on the far left that think that there’s not enough money for nutrition, and too much money is going to our farmers and ranchers,” Cuellar said. “We’ve got to find a balance.”
On the other side of the aisle, Republican Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) emphasized the urgency of passing an updated bill.
“It’s been six years since our last farm bill,” De La Cruz said. “We also want to make sure that we codify many rules that have helped our farming community sustain farm production.”
The Farm Bill reauthorizes key agriculture and food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which remains a major focus in ongoing discussions.
“We want to protect SNAP benefits, and the way to do that is to get rid of the waste, fraud, and abuse that is happening within the bills,” Cuellar said. “We also want to give the children who use SNAP benefits nutritious food, not junk food, and we want to make sure this is codified. So partly, the waste, fraud, and abuse comes within the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ And what the Farm Bill really focuses on is actual farming.”
This raises a question many have been asking for quite some time: When will the farm bill be passed and signed into law? Cuellar says he is ready to vote and believes action could come soon.
“[Democrats] are ready to vote on it, but the Republicans control the calendar,” he said. “They’ve got to put that bill on the floor. Hopefully, sometime after Easter in the district, they’ll put it on the floor. I’m ready to vote on it now.”
De La Cruz says passing the bill quickly is critical, citing its importance to producers.
“Protecting things like crop insurance and making sure that there is a safety net for our farmers so that they can go through the hard times — through the weather, droughts, or fires — that they are protected,” she says.
For now, both lawmakers and the agriculture community continue to watch closely as the legislative process unfolds.
Frank McCaffrey reporting for RFD NEWS.
