Senate Ag Chairman Boozman unveils updated farm bill draft that addresses SNAP cuts

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) unveiled an updated draft of its farm bill on Friday as the legislation heads toward a committee markup next week.The farm bill legislation includes language requiring states to share the cost of SNAP benefits if their payment error rate exceeds a certain percentage. If the rate is 10% or higher, any given state would have to pay 20% of the cost of benefits in food aid, starting in fiscal 2031. The one-year delay from the initial draft marks a concession to Democratic opposition to the farm bill on the chairman’s part. It remains to be seen whether Democrats will support the broader legislation.In a press release from the Senate Agriculture Committee, Boozman said Farm Bill 2.0 “responds to concerns that states need additional time to strengthen administration of SNAP benefits and reduce payment error rates with a commonsense solution.” He hopes both parties “will find their priorities reflected” in the legislation.The bill also permits year-round sales of E15 fuel, a mix of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, across the nation. The ethanol provision has been a key priority for lawmakers in farm states. It is said to closely resemble a bill sponsored by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), according to Politico.INTERIOR DEPARTMENT ASKS CONGRESS FOR $10 MILLION MORE IN FUNDING FOR FREEDOM 250“We owe it to our dedicated farmers to move this legislation across the finish line and to the president’s desk to be signed into law,” Boozman added. “I look forward to next week’s markup.”The committee will hold a markup session regarding the updated farm bill on Aug. 6, just before the Senate leaves for its monthlong recess.