House Republicans unveiled a sweeping farm bill and budget reconciliation proposal that would slash $290 billion from nutrition assistance programs over the next decade via reform, redirecting a portion of those savings to expand commodity support, crop insurance subsidies, and conservation spending. The markup of the bill is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET today (May 13).
The proposal — part of a broader budget package aimed at reducing federal spending by $230 billion — would:
- Increase commodity program payments, raising Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference prices by 10–20%, in line with the farm bill the committee approved a year ago, and raising the payment cap from $125,000 to $155,000, indexed to inflation.
- Expand Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) guarantees to 90% and add 30 million new base acres eligible for ARC/PLC coverage.
- Boost crop insurance by increasing the Supplemental Coverage Option subsidy from 65% to 80%.
- Fold Inflation Reduction Act conservation funds into the farm bill baseline, but strip out “climate-smart” restrictions.
Major SNAP Changes
The proposal’s biggest political flashpoint is its reworking of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):
- Expanded work requirements: Able-bodied adults up to age 64 (previously 54) would need to work to receive benefits, including parents of school-age children.
- State cost-sharing: Starting in 2028, states will pay 5–25% of SNAP benefit costs, depending on their SNAP error rates. Starting in 2028, all states will be responsible for 5% of the cost-share. Also starting that year, states with error rates between 6% and 8% will have to contribute 15% of the cost-share. States with 8% to 10% error rates will contribute 20%, and states with error rates 10% or higher will be responsible for 25% of the match.
- Administrative cost hike: States will now pay 75% of administrative costs, up from 50%.
- Limits on Thrifty Food Plan (TFP): Updates based on market changes would be banned unless allowed through a rulemaking process with public comment.
House Ag Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) said: “For far too long, the SNAP program has drifted from a bridge to support American households in need to a permanent destination riddled with bureaucratic inefficiencies, misplaced incentives, and limited accountability.” Thompson added “This portion of the One Big, Beautiful Bill restores the program’s original intent, offering a temporary helping hand while encouraging work, cracking down on loopholes exploited by states, and protecting taxpayer dollars while supporting the hardworking men and women of American agriculture,”
Reconciliation rules enable the GOP to advance the plan without Democratic support in the Senate.
