Senate Ag Committee Fails to Advance Bill; NAAA Joins Coalition to Protect SCOTUS Decision in Farm Bill Fight

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s markup of the 2026 Farm Bill concluded last week without advancing the legislation, following unanimous opposition from the Committee’s Democratic members over the bill’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. Extensive debate centered on Democratic amendments, chiefly their proposal to delay the requirement that states share in the cost of providing SNAP benefits by two years; Republicans countered with a one-year delay.

Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), a member of the Committee, defended the Republican offer, asserting that it represented the best agreement that Senate Republicans could negotiate with the White House. Democrats additionally offered several other amendments, each defeated on strict party-line votes. Among these was an amendment by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) seeking to reverse the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Monsanto v. Durnell. Following Senator Booker’s remarks on the amendment and his work organizing the “People vs. Poison” rally outside the Supreme Court, no further discussion ensued.

In advance of the Senate Farm Bill markup last week, NAAA joined a coalition of more than 250 organizations sending a letter to Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) urging the committee to reject any amendments that would alter the Supreme Court decision in Monsanto v. Durnell. The letter stated, “Farmers and growers rely on clear, consistent labeling and a uniform regulatory framework to use crop protection tools safely and responsibly. Further, consistent access to these products is vital to farmers’ and growers’ ability to deploy conservation practices. The Supreme Court decision affirmed that the EPA FIFRA review process is the gold standard when it comes to assessing the impact of crop protection products on the environment and human health. To that end, we strongly urge the Committee to reject all efforts to legislatively overturn the Durnell ruling.”

The Senate Farm Bill amendment failed 12-11 along party lines. Chairman Boozman concluded the markup by placing the Committee in a suspended recess. He stated that dialogue would continue and that the Committee would reconvene to report on the bill at a later date.

NAAA will continue advocating for a farm bill that protects aerial applicators and farmers’ access to pesticides.