Senators Push for Additional Farm Assistance in Continuing Resolution
Momentum is building in Washington for additional financial support for farmers as economic pressures continue to mount across the agricultural sector. Following last week’s report that 56 agricultural groups had urged Congress to act, two influential U.S. Senators are now publicly pushing for expanded assistance to be included in the upcoming continuing resolution.
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman John Boozman of Arkansas and Agriculture Appropriations Committee Chairman John Hoeven are leading the effort, emphasizing that existing relief measures, while appreciated, are not sufficient to address the challenges producers are facing.
Chairman Boozman underscored the urgency of the situation and the need to ensure long-term stability in the nation’s food system.
“America’s farmers are resilient, hardworking and deeply committed to feeding and clothing our nation. Unfortunately, resilience and hard work are not enough to withstand the significant challenges that have been mounting for several years. The message is clear that while they are extremely grateful for the investments Congress, President Trump and Secretary Brooke Rollins recently delivered, they need more help to keep farming. We need to maintain a safe, affordable and reliable food supply and the only way to achieve that is to support the men and women who make that possible.”
Chairman Hoeven emphasized that the proposed assistance is designed as a bridge to help producers reach improvements already secured through recent legislation.
“This assistance is all about getting our farmers through this year to fall when the improvements we were able to secure in the One Big Beautiful Bill, including expanding access to affordable crop insurance, increased reference prices, and improved livestock disaster programs, come into play. This is the additional piece we need, along with the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program recently announced by President Trump and Secretary Rollins. This assistance will provide additional support for row crops, specialty crops, sugar beets, prevent plant, and better account for basis and cost of production concerns. We also increase farm ownership and operating loan limits so producers can access capital to help with higher costs. Our goal is to ensure that farmers and ranchers can make it through this challenging period and continue their operations now and into the future.”
The proposal would build upon the USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, expanding its reach to address rising input costs, tighter margins, and financing challenges. If included in the continuing resolution, the measure could provide critical short-term relief while longer-term policy improvements are phased in, offering farmers and ranchers a clearer path forward during a difficult economic period.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.