Congress is entering preliminary discussions on a scaled-back "skinny" farm bill, but political tensions, legislative overload, and a shrinking calendar have many in the agriculture sector bracing for a delay until 2026.

The urgency stems from the expiration this fall of several key agricultural programs left out of Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB)-a massive reconciliation package that included deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reducing funding by $186 billion over 10 years. Those cuts have hardened Democratic resistance to moving forward quickly.

"We're in the very early stage of talking about what we would like to see in the skinny farm bill," said Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee. "The size of the cuts in nutrition spending makes it harder to get full Democratic support."

House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-Pa.) aims to release legislative text in September, but staff workloads and a crowded autumn agenda-dominated by government funding deadlines-make the timeline challenging. "It's an aggressive schedule," noted one committee aide, emphasizing that even a pared-down bill will require bipartisan cooperation.

Limited Legislative Days
The calendar is another obstacle. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) points to September and October recesses, plus breaks for Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, leaving few working days before year's end. Grassley said it is "more likely the farm bill is completed in early 2026."

That view is echoed by the Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor, which found 59% of surveyed economists expect passage in 2026, 24% in 2027, and only 18% in the second half of 2025.

Policy Priorities in Play
While narrower than a full farm bill, the skinny version could address industrial hemp regulation, lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers, California's Proposition 12 sow housing rules, and reauthorization of the Conservation Reserve Program. Other provisions under discussion include USDA loan limits, rural broadband funding, and safeguards to trigger permanent price-support laws if commodity programs lapse after 2031.

Nutrition policy changes remain contentious. Thompson has floated proposals to expand SNAP eligibility for ex-convicts and families with young adults still in school, while eliminating the so-called "poverty cliff" that cuts benefits abruptly as incomes rise.

For U.S. farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities, the uncertainty complicates planning. With input costs, commodity prices, and trade policy already in flux, industry groups warn that prolonged inaction could stall investments in sustainable agriculture, precision technology, and rural infrastructure.

As the fall session approaches, Capitol Hill faces a familiar farm bill dilemma: too much to do, too little time, and too few bipartisan agreements to get it done quickly.