Senate Republicans on Wednesday released the agriculture section of their budget reconciliation bill, closely mirroring the House-passed One Big Beautiful Bill on core farm policy reforms. Like the House, the Senate version includes increased reference prices and a provision for a voluntary base update for farm program eligibility. The Senate Ag Committee also adopted the House’s proposal to shift some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit costs to states. However, the Senate softened the impact by proposing lower state cost-share rates than the House, though both versions use state SNAP error rates to determine each state’s obligation. A key structural change in both bills would raise states’ share of SNAP administrative costs from 50% to 75%, increasing pressure on state budgets even as the federal government continues covering the full cost of benefits. Fiscal impact:
- Senate bill net savings: $144 billion over 10 years
- House bill net savings: $238 billion over 10 years
This divergence signals continuing negotiations between chambers as Republicans seek to finalize President Trump’s full reconciliation package this summer.
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