Senate Farm Bill Leaves Out Contentious Policies. Democrats Are Not Impressed

Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman on Tuesday painted a grim outlook for the nation’s farmers and ranchers — citing a difficult economic climate created by high inflation and low market prices — as he vowed to correct course via his chamber’s new farm bill.

The draft five-year farm bill unveiled in the Senate proposes the creation or reauthorization of a number of conservation and forestry programs, while also leaving out contentious provisions on biofuels, pesticide labeling and other issues.

The legislation, which is budget-neutral, contains language to streamline environmental reviews for some forest management projects to better manage wildfire risk.

“Hardworking farmers and ranchers are struggling to break even, let alone profit in this current economic climate,” Boozman said on the Senate floor about his “Agricultural Act of 2026.”

“High inflation, steep input cost and low market prices have put many farm families on a course towards bankruptcy, with multigenerational operations fighting for survival.”