Key aspects of Farm Bill included in the One Big Beautiful Bill

One of the ten titles in The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law by President Trump earlier this month is an agriculture title that contains several provisions that would typically be found in a 5-year Farm Bill. Here's what Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK3) said about this in an interview last week:

"Well, in the president's Big Beautiful Bill, the commodity title programs, crop insurance, price protection, the money for conservation was in that bill. So, we have the Farm Bill programs that raise the food and fiber funded for the next six years. But we need to run a second piece -- call it the 'Skinny' Farm Bill, call it farm Bill 'Lite' -- that deals with rural development, ag research, conservation--the implementation programs on conservation, I should say. I think there's a window of opportunity to do that this fall, because when you take crop insurance off the plate and you've addressed the nutrition issues, which were also addressed in the Big Beautiful Bill, it leaves the basic core programs that help make rural America function."

This is what you need to know about the current status of the Farm Bill:

The current Farm Bill, officially, remains the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. It has been extended multiple times, most recently in December 2024 through September 30, 2025. This extension ensured the continuation of various USDA programs related to agriculture, nutrition, and conservation. The Farm Bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation, typically renewed every five years, that shapes agricultural policy and funding for programs like crop insurance, commodities support, conservation initiatives and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

1. Commodity Programs.
2. The Farm Bill provides price and income support for major crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat through subsidies, loan programs, and disaster assistance. 
3. Conservation Programs:.
4. It supports voluntary programs that encourage farmers to adopt environmentally friendly practices, including soil and water conservation, and wildlife habitat improvement. 
5. Nutrition Programs:
6. The bill funds programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families. 
7. Agricultural Trade:
8. It addresses regulations, policies, and negotiations related to the import and export of agricultural products. 
9. Research and Innovation:
10. The Farm Bill also supports agricultural research, including funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

Here are the Farm Bill provisions that were included in the OBBBA:

1. Commodity Programs: It extends key commodity support programs such as Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), and Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) through the 2031 crop year. It also increases statutory reference prices for major commodities by 10-21%.
2. Crop Insurance: It updates the Federal Crop Insurance program to allow farmers to purchase the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) even when enrolled in ARC (previously only available with PLC). It also includes enhanced benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, expanding the definition to include those farming for up to 10 years and providing additional premium assistance.
3. Conservation: The OBBBA redirects unobligated Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) conservation funds to the permanent farm bill baseline and increases funding for programs like the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) through 2031.
4. Nutrition: It reauthorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through 2031, with reforms aimed at reducing fraud and improving efficiency, including updated work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, modifications to utility allowance rules, and targeted integrity reforms.
5. Rural Development, Forestry, and Schools: While some provisions relating to forestry and rural development were included, the OBBBA did not include a reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program, as that was addressed separately by the Senate in another bill. 

Aspects of the Farm Bill that were not part of the OBBBA include:

1. Research Programs:
2. Funding for agricultural research was not significantly increased in the bill, leaving a gap in critical areas like crop disease and climate resilience. 
3. Certain Conservation Initiatives:
4. While some conservation programs were included, others, particularly those related to regenerative agriculture and climate-smart practices, were not fully addressed. 
5. Farm and Food Worker Rights:
6. The bill did not address issues like worker safety, wages, or labor protections for farm and food workers. 
7. Public Land Grazing and Irrigation Water Rights:
8. These issues, often contentious and complex, were not included in the scope of the bill.