Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman says he is hopeful the committee will mark up a new farm bill on Thursday as negotiations continue over several key provisions.
The Arkansas Republican said he has been working closely with the committee's ranking Democrat, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, to keep the legislation bipartisan despite ongoing policy differences.
One of the primary issues still being negotiated is a Democratic proposal to delay a new state cost-sharing requirement for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Under current plans, states would begin paying a portion of SNAP benefit costs beginning in fiscal year 2028. Democrats have pushed to postpone that requirement, arguing states may need additional time to prepare for the financial impact.
The farm bill, which is typically renewed every five years, sets federal policy for agriculture, conservation, nutrition assistance, rural development and agricultural research. Lawmakers have been working to reach agreement on a new measure after repeated delays in recent years.
Boozman said negotiations remain ongoing, but expressed optimism that the committee can advance the legislation while maintaining bipartisan support. If approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee, the bill would move to the full Senate for consideration.