DENVER — Congress is unlikely to pass a new farm bill before the end of the year. Instead, lawmakers are likely to pass another extension as they remain divided over the massive, multiyear legislation.
The responsibility for a new farm bill will fall on the new, more conservative Congress after it takes office in January 2025.
Despite what its name suggests, the farm bill does more than help farmers and ranchers. It also funds nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Congress typically passes a farm bill every five years.
Sarah Mason with Feeding Colorado, an association of five Colorado food banks, said the world is different from when the last farm bill was passed in 2018.
“Food prices are higher. Folks are accessing nutrition programs more than ever before. And the dollar is not necessarily going as far,” said Mason. “We're just seeing that we're operating in a completely different environment now than we were six years ago.”
Congress has been divided over the farm bill.
“Sadly, the two parties really are not talking to each other,” said Colorado Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, who recently lost her reelection bid in the state's 8th Congressional District.
Last year, Congress approved a one-year extension of the farm bill. That extension expired at the end of September.
Conservative lawmakers, including Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, said the farm bill has become too bloated.
“One of the most difficult aspects of the farm bill is that two-thirds of the farm bill have nothing to do with farmers and ranchers, our agriculture industry,” said Boebert. “Most of the bill is welfare."
According to the Congressional Research Service, the last farm bill cost taxpayers $428 billion. About $326 billion (76%) went to nutrition programs, mostly SNAP.
“Having those SNAP benefits attached to the farm bill makes it very difficult to pass in a slim Republican majority and in a divided government,” Boebert said.
Boebert said the next farm bill is estimated to be $1.2 trillion.
“Far too much cost there with the SNAP benefits in the farm bill,” said Boebert, noting that the country’s debt is approaching $36 trillion. “This is immoral. This is unsustainable, and we have got to get the reckless spending in Washington, D.C. under control."
Earlier this year, the House Agriculture Committee passed a bill that could result in cuts to the SNAP program, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Boebert said she signed on to a letter with over 100 of her colleagues calling for Congress to make it a priority to pass the farm bill by the end of the year.
“It doesn't look promising,” Caraveo said.
Sources told Denver7 the lame-duck Congress will pass another extension of the current farm bill, leaving it to the next Congress to pass a new bill.
The next Congress will be more conservative. Republicans will control both chambers, instead of one as they do now. Mason said any changes Congress makes to SNAP benefits in the farm bill could result in more Colorado families turning to food banks, which are already stretched thin.
"Any changes to SNAP show that folks will have to come and access our services as well because they're not able to potentially utilize SNAP as much as they may have been able to a few years ago,” said Mason.
The farm bill also includes support for food banks through the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
“And nationwide, anywhere between 20 and 30% of food bank warehouse food is comprised of TEFAP foods,” said Mason. “Any changes to TEFAP would mean that we would have to do more purchasing to make sure that we have enough food to meet the need in our community.”
People who may need to access Feeding Colorado’s services can click here. Anyone interested in donating can follow this link.
