A fall showdown over a “skinny” farm bill is taking shape as key agriculture programs that were excluded from the GOP’s reconciliation package near expiration. Republicans cleared much of the bill in their budget reconciliation legislation; however, reauthorizing the Conservation Reserve Program, setting USDA loan limits, expanding rural broadband, and ensuring permanent price-support laws post-2031 still need to be addressed.

Other priorities for the skinny bill include industrial hemp regulation, pesticide lawsuit issues, and California’s Proposition 12. House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson wants to include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) changes, including easing eligibility rules for certain groups and phasing out benefits gradually to prevent a “poverty cliff.”

Some lawmakers, such as Sen. Chuck Grassley, doubt a bill will pass in 2025, citing limited legislative days. Some economists project completion in 2026 or later.

Timing and partisan divisions leave the bill’s fate uncertain. Deep (SNAP) cuts totalling $186 billion over 10 years have strained bipartisan cooperation. Senate agriculture leaders hope to release text in September, but competing priorities like government funding could slow progress.

Read more about the status of the skinny farm bill here.