Boozman presses ahead for farm bill
The chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee believes Congress will pass a five-year farm bill by the end of the year.
Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, said committee chairs, ranking members and key staffers are meeting to put together a plan that can pass by the end of the year. Boozman spoke during the Future of Arkansas Agriculture and Beyond Speaker Series Oct. 30.
Boozman urged Congress to complete a five-year farm bill this year, describing the current farm economy as strained by high input costs, shrinking margins and market uncertainty. Arkansas led the nation in Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies last year and again in the third quarter.
“Behind every one of those filings is a hardworking farm family, often with generations of effort invested in the land,” Boozman said. “I know growers in our state have spent years hoping that the next season will bring a better crop or that commodity prices will finally improve. These are the families that have dedicated their lives to farming and have done everything they can to keep their operations. They know hope is not a business strategy.”
When producers face financial pressures year after year and continue to see losses, they face difficult decisions, he said. Some are selling equipment, scaling back operations, or questioning whether they have a future in the industry.
“We cannot afford to lose the farms and the people who grow our food because policies have failed to keep pace with the reality of modern agriculture’s evolving economy,” he said. “Since the last farm bill was signed into law in 2018, circumstances have changed dramatically. In fact, the 2018 farm bill was based on 2012 data.”
He called the Working Families Tax Cut legislation “Farm Bill 1.0,” citing investments that strengthened the safety net, risk management, animal health and trade programs and crop insurance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $13.8 billion in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage payments for the 2025 crop year.
That put a safety net in place for farmers and ranchers for 2026, said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-KS, a committee member.
“It’s the one that matters the most at this moment when commodity prices are so low, and input prices are so high,” Moran said.
Arkansas farmers are estimated to receive $1 billion, about $650 million more than they would receive without the aid, Boozman said.
“If you’re growing something in the ground right now, almost without exception, you’re losing money,” Boozman said. “It’s just very difficult. The input costs and the cost of production are so high now and in many cases the price that we’re getting might be the same as we got 10 years ago. It just doesn’t work.”
President Donald Trump announced $8 billion in relief for high diesel prices, which helps but does not solve longstanding problems. The war in Iran has helped drive up fertilizer and fuel costs in 2026. It also underscores U.S. dependence on foreign countries.
“That’s something that needs to be fixed,” he said. “That’s something we actually can fix.”
The proposal Boozman calls “Farm Bill 2.0” is a comprehensive bill with more than 100 policies. Boozman said roughly 90% of the House and Senate bills align, with the remaining differences unresolved. The bill covers production, conservation, nutrition, forestry, rural development, trade, and research.
Boozman believes the farm bill has bipartisan support. The House passed a farm bill 224 to 200 in April. The Senate Agriculture Committee passed a farm bill on a partisan vote. To pass the Senate, the bill will need 60 votes, which Boozman said means at least 10 Democrats would be needed to move the bill forward.
Boozman said one benefit of the Senate’s adjournment was that members could meet with constituents, and he believes farmers and ranchers are urging members of both parties to pass a bill.
“Farm bills shouldn’t be about Republicans and Democrats,” Boozman said. “It’s about farmers, not Republican farmers or Democrat farmers. These should be apolitical. It’s about regions of the country. Southern agriculture is different than the Great Plains, or Middle America.”
Farm Bill 2.0 is important for supporting rural communities, he added. The farm bill plays a critical role in modernizing essential services. Rural communities need to attract businesses, support families and create opportunities for the next generation.
Boozman said USDA rural development programs help communities expand and upgrade water systems, improve access to affordable energy, connect to high-speed broadband and strengthen health care and child care.
Boozman said the farm bill is important to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. That support also strengthens the case for passing the legislation, he said.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
