“This bill provides modern policies for modern challenges and is shaped by years of listening to the needs of farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans,” Thompson said. “The farm bill affects our entire country, regardless of whether you live on a farm, and I look forward to seeing my colleagues in Congress work together to get this critical legislation across the finish line.”

A full farm bill, a large package of provisions for agricultural and food programs, has not been enacted since 2018, even though it is typical that the farm bill passes about every five years. Congress extended provisions from the funding past its 2023 expiration in various continuing resolutions and funding bills.

Many agricultural and food assistance provisions were addressed in Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act — which the GOP has rebranded to the “Working Families Tax Cut” — that passed without input or support from Democrats last year. 

That bill included controversial reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is funded by the federal government and administered by states. The GOP megabill boosted work requirements and a requirement for states to share a portion of benefit costs if their payment error rates were above a certain percentage high.

Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee, signaled opposition to the farm bill, accusing Republicans of ignoring Democrats.

“Our review of the legislative text is ongoing. Based on what I know, the Republican farm bill fails to meet the moment facing farmers and working people,” Craig said in a statement. 

“Farmers need Congress to act swiftly to end inflationary tariffs, stabilize trade relationships, expand domestic market opportunities like year-round E15 and help lower input costs,” Craig said, referencing the fuel made with 15 percent ethanol fuel that is not allowed to be sold in summer due in part to concerns about smog.

“The Republican majority instead chose to ignore Democratic priorities and focus on pushing a shell of a farm bill with poison pills that complicates if not derails chances of getting anything done,” Craig said. “I strongly urge my Republican colleagues to drop the political charade and work with House Democrats on a truly bipartisan bill to address the very real problems farm country is experiencing right now – before it’s too late.”