The Senate voted Sunday to break the government shutdown stalemate. This paves the way for a potential reopening later this week, which would restore full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after weeks of uncertainty.

The legislative package under consideration would fund the USDA, FDA, Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction projects and Congress for the full fiscal year. All other agencies would receive funding through January 30 via a continuing resolution. The agreement must still pass the House before reopening can occur.

The funding deal has significant implications for agricultural policy. Key USDA programs set to expire at year-end, including research initiatives and mandatory livestock price reporting, will be extended. This reduces the likelihood of a “skinny” farm bill passing this year. Many GOP agriculture priorities were addressed in legislation earlier this year, however, remaining programs required continuation.

The package also replenishes the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) fund. This is an internal USDA account holding up to $30 billion, which the Trump administration plans to use for farm aid and grants.

Additionally, the bill updates the United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025, which expired September 30, enhancing grain inspection transparency, efficiency and integrating new processing technologies.

Read more here on details of the Senate deal to end the shutdown.