Farm Bill
As the biggest package of federal nutrition legislation - covering SNAP, FDPIR, TEFAP, and more - the Farm Bill is a powerful tool for advancing food security in Washington and beyond.
The Farm Bill is a sweeping federal legislation package that authorizes and funds most of the country's agriculture and nutrition programs for five-year periods. Its Nutrition Title (Title IV) governs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as other nutrition programs like the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Millions of Washingtonians rely on these programs every year, making the Farm Bill the most important piece of federal legislation for advancing food security in our state.
The current Farm Bill - the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 - expired in 2023. Rather than passing new legislation, Congress has repeatedly voted to extend it, leaving us several years overdue for an update.
In the summer of 2025, Republicans in Congress used the budget reconciliation process to enact the largest cuts to SNAP in the program's history - breaking with the longstanding precedent of governing SNAP through a bipartisan Farm Bill. The resulting legislation, H.R. 1 (the "One Big Beautiful Bill"), stripped SNAP access from 129,000 Washingtonians and is projected to cost our state up to $390 million annually.
What is the Farm Bill?
“SNAP gives me a little wiggle room in our budget to able to support other aspects of my family’s life - such as replacing clothing that my children have grown out of, or providing household necessities like toilet paper and cleaning supplies. It allows me to breathe easier, knowing that at least today I don’t have to worry about groceries.”
- Washington SNAP recipient
A New Farm Bill
In the past several months, both the House and Senate have released proposals for a new Farm Bill. While neither proposal includes additional cuts to SNAP, they also do nothing to reverse the damage done by H.R. 1. These Farm Bill proposals, if passed, would lock in the H.R. 1 SNAP cuts for the next five years.
Here’s what the proposed Farm Bill doesn’t fix:
Does not repeal the ineffective work requirements now mandated for all able-bodied adults without children under 14.
Does not delay or overturn the state cost share requirement, which will cost Washington up to $390 million annually.
Does not restore SNAP for the 30,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Washington who lost eligibility.
Would allow state agencies to hire private contractors to conduct SNAP certifications, a practice that studies link to higher error rates, delayed benefits, and increased administrative costs.
Anti-hunger advocates across the country agree: no new Farm Bill is better than a bad Farm Bill.
Congress must reject any version of a Farm Bill that does not address the cuts to SNAP made by H.R. 1.
As the proposed Farm Bill makes its way through Congress, make sure your legislators understand the importance of restoring SNAP and protecting federal nutrition programs.
Firsthand accounts of how SNAP supports Washington families help advocates illustrate the importance of this program to lawmakers in both Olympia and DC.
Be the first to hear about future opportunities to advocate for federal nutrition programs.