By Megan Bland and Lauren Kallins
The recently enacted federal budget reconciliation bill is being called a “mini-farm bill” because its key agricultural policy provisions address the issues typically covered in a traditional farm bill: commodities, crop insurance, conservation and nutrition.
This marks a significant shift in how federal agriculture and nutrition policies are funded. It also raises concerns about changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the future of the farm bill as we know it.
Calls for Congress to pass a new farm bill have become deafening over the past several years. Traditionally, Congress has used a bipartisan farm bill package—passed every five years—to update agriculture and nutrition policies to address the changing needs of American communities, support farmers and rural economies, and ensure food security.