SNAP Politics Complicate Farm Bill Progress Again

Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow says the complicated politics of the nutrition assistance programs remains a significant hurdle in passing the new farm bill. It seems unlikely Congress would be able to pass a new farm bill before the September 30 deadline. Work continues behind the scenes, but the House and Senate Agriculture committees are not likely to vote on the legislation before September.

Like ghosts of farm bills past, SNAP proves to be the biggest obstacle for lawmakers that otherwise support a traditionally bipartisan bill. Stabenow remains a devoted advocate for nutritional programs, even as House Republicans insisted on more limits on food stamps in the debt limit bill. Conservatives attempted to slash SNAP spending in the farm bill in 2014 and 2018 and restrict eligibility, but Stabenow has repeatedly ruled this out for 2023.

Read more on farm bill happenings here.