US House passes ‘skinny’ farm bill that keeps big GOP cuts to food assistance

By Jacob Fischler, South Dakota Searchlight
May 1, 2026
7 hrs ago

Corn harvest — A farmer harvests corn beside Highway 163 in Iowa.
Iowa Capital Dispatch photo by Cami Koons

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Jacob Fischler, South Dakota Searchlight

The U.S. House approved, 224-200, a five-year farm bill Thursday as members of Congress attempt to update major agriculture and nutrition policy after three years of extensions.

kAm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^28C:4F=EFC6]9@FD6]8@G^FA=@25657:=6D^73ae4@>3@0_a0I>=]A57Qm3:==k^2m H@F=5 2FE9@C:K6 DF3D:5J 2?5 ?FEC:E:@? 2DD:DE2?46 AC@8C2>D E9C@F89 7:D42= a_b`] %96 ?@?A2CE:D2? r@?8C6DD:@?2= qF586E ~77:46 6DE:>2E65 2? 62C=:6C G6CD:@? @7 E96 3:== H@F=5 ?@E >62?:?87F==J 27764E 5:D4C6E:@?2CJ 7656C2= DA6?5:?8 @G6C 2? ``\J62C H:?5@H[ 2?5 H@F=5 255 S`ea >:==:@? :? >2?52E@CJ DA6?5:?8 @G6C E96 ?6IE D:I J62CD]k^Am

kAm|@DE s6>@4C2ED @AA@D65 E96 3:==[ 3FE `c G@E65 :? 72G@C] %9C66 #6AF3=:42?D G@E65 282:?DE] $:I >6>36CD 5:5 ?@E G@E6]k^Am

kAm%96 s6>@4C2ED :? 72G@C H6C6i $2?7@C5 q:D9@A @7 v6@C8:2[ y:> r@DE2 2?5 p52> vC2J @7 r2=:7@C?:2[ w6?CJ rF6==2C 2?5 ':46?E6 v@?K2=6K @7 %6I2D[ $92C:46 s2G:5D @7 z2?D2D[ s@?2=5 s2G:D @7 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ |2C4J z2AEFC @7 ~9:@[ zC:DE6? |4s@?2=5 #:G6E @7 |:49:82?[ |2C:6 v=F6D6?<2>A !6C6K 2?5 z:> $49C:6C @7 (2D9:?8E@?[ y@D9 #:=6J @7 }6H *@C<[ s2CC6? $@E@ @7 u=@C:52 2?5 v236 '2DBF6K @7 }6H |6I:4@]k^Am

kAm%96 #6AF3=:42?D H9@ G@E65 282:?DE H6C6i qC:2? u:EKA2EC:4< @7 !6??DJ=G2?:2[ p?5C6H v2C32C:?@ @7 }6H *@C< 2?5 w2CC:6E w286>2? @7 (J@>:?8]k^Am

k9cmu6H A@=:4J 492?86Dk^9cm

kAmq642FD6 #6AF3=:42?D’ >2DD:G6 DA6?5:?8 2?5 E2I 4FED =2H =2DE J62C >256 >2;@C 492?86D E@ D@>6 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 AC@8C2>D[ >2:?=J E96 $FAA=6>6?E2= }FEC:E:@? pDD:DE2?46 !C@8C2> E92E 96=A65 23@FE ` :? g p>6C:42?D 277@C5 8C@46C:6D :? a_ac[ E96 72C> 3:== A2DD65 %9FCD52J H2D 2 “D<:??J” G6CD:@? 2?5 C6=2E:G6=J D9@CE @? >2;@C A@=:4J FA52E6D]k^Am

kAm%96 3:== H@F=5 DE:== 92G6 E@ A2DD E96 $6?2E6[ H9:49 92D ?@E J6E :?EC@5F465 :ED G6CD:@?] k^Am

kAmpC<2?D2D #6AF3=:42? $6?] y@9? q@@K>2?[ H9@ 492:CD E96 $6?2E6 p8C:4F=EFC6 r@>>:EE66[ 4966C65 w@FD6 A2DD286 %9FCD52J 2?5 D2:5 2 $6?2E6 E6IE H@F=5 36 C6=62D65 “:? E96 4@>:?8 H66<D]”k^Am

kAm“%9:D :D 2? :>A@CE2?E DE6A E@H2C5 FA52E:?8 =@?8\@G6C5F6 A@=:4:6D E92E DFAA@CE @FC 72C> 72>:=:6D 2?5 DEC6?8E96? CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D[” 96 D2:5 @7 E96 w@FD6 G@E6 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E] “(6’G6 AFE >@C6 72C> :? E96 72C> 3:== E9C@F89 E96 (@C<:?8 u2>:=:6D %2I rFED WE96 v~! DA6?5:?8 2?5 E2I 4FED 3:==X[ 2?5 E9:D =68:D=2E:@? 3F:=5D @? E92E DF446DD]”k^Am

k9cm}6H 2FE9@C:K2E:@?D ?66565 k^9cm

kAmu2C> 3:==D 2C6 EJA:42==J HC:EE6? E@ =2DE 7:G6 J62CD] qFE r@?8C6DD =2DE 2AAC@G65 2 G6CD:@? :? a_`g] tIE6?D:@?D @7 E96 a_`g G6CD:@? H6C6 6?24E65 :? a_ab[ a_ac 2?5 a_ad]k^Am

kAmw@FD6 p8C:4F=EFC6 r92:C>2? v=6?? “v%” %9@>AD@?[ 2 !6??DJ=G2?:2 #6AF3=:42?[ D2:5 E96 >62DFC6 H@F=5 DE:== >62?:?87F==J FA52E6 72C> 2?5 7@@5 AC@8C2>D]k^Am

kAm“xE :D >@C6 6G:56?E E92? 6G6C E92E CFC2= p>6C:42 ?665D 2 ?6H 72C> 3:== ?@H[ ?@E ?6IE J62C @C ?6IE r@?8C6DD[” 96 D2:5] “!C@5F46CD 2C6 @A6C2E:?8 F?56C E96 E9:C5 4@?D64FE:G6 72C> 3:== 6IE6?D:@? 2?5 E96 D:>A=6 ECFE9 :D E96 A@=:4:6D @7 a_`g 2C6 ?@ >2E49 7@C E96 492==6?86D @7 a_ae]”k^Am

People are also reading…

Morel-hunter search begins
Tractor Museum showcases farm history
Century Farm continues family’s legacy
Southeast Iowa family proud of farm longevity
Beef lovers try new farming approaches
Hunting access made easy
Opportunity knocks for oats
Beware turkey bits, pieces
From the Backroads of Wisconsin's Past
Farmers puts conservation tax to work
US blockade a concern for China, soybeans
Alternative fertilizers focus on feeding soil biology
Bocks build soil, raise crops together with faith, family
Look to grazing, haying season
Honey bees get 'hangry' too

kAmp8C:4F=EFC6 r@>>:EE66 C2?<:?8 s6>@4C2E p?8:6 rC2:8 @7 |:??6D@E2 @AA@D65 E96 3:==[ D2J:?8 :E 5:5 ?@E 255C6DD 2?J @7 E96 AC6DD:?8 :DDF6D E92E 72C>6CD 2?5 $}p! C64:A:6?ED 7246] %96 3:== 5@6D ?@E 96=A 2==6G:2E6 E96 C:D:?8 4@DED 72C>6CD 7246 7C@> !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’D E2C:77D 2?5 “=@4<D :? E96 S`gf 3:==:@? 4FE” E@ $}p! :? =2DE J62C’D DA6?5:?8 =2H[ rC2:8 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“xE 5@6D?’E 7:I 2?J @7 E96 F?56C=J:?8 A@=:4J 49@:46D 3J #6AF3=:42?D 2?5 E9:D 25>:?:DEC2E:@? E92E 42FD65 E96 AC@3=6>D :? E96 7:CDE A=246[” D96 D2:5[ 255:?8 E92E 4@?E:?F:?8 E96 $}p! 4FED AFE “>@C6 AC6DDFC6 @? DECF88=:?8 p>6C:42?D 2E 2 E:>6 H96? E96 4@DE @7 8C@46C:6D 2?5 962=E942C6 4@?E:?F6D E@ 8C@H] k^Am

kAmrC2:8 D2:5 %9FCD52J >@C?:?8 E92E E96 >62DFC6 4@F=5 92G6 96=A65 4@C? 72C>6CD 3J :?4=F5:?8 2 AC@G:D:@? E@ 2==@H 82D@=:?6 >256 H:E9 `dT 6E92?@= 2G2:=23=6 2== J62C] %96 AC@5F4E[ <?@H? 2D t`d[ :?4C62D6D 56>2?5 7@C 4@C?[ 3FE 92D 366? =:>:E65 :? DF>>6C >@?E9D 3642FD6 @7 E96 A@==FE:@? :E 42? 42FD6 :? 9:89 E6>A6C2EFC6D] k^Am

kAm%9@>AD@? C6DA@?565 E92E E96 4@>>:EE66 H@F=5 4@?D:56C 2 D6A2C2E6 >62DFC6 @? J62C\C@F?5 t`d :? >:5\|2J]k^Am

k9cm{@42= 7@@5[ 7@C6:8? 7@@5 2:5 @G6CD:89Ek^9cm

kAm%96 3:== 5@6D :?4=F56 D@>6 ?6H AC@G:D:@?D]k^Am

kAmxE H@F=5 2FE9@C:K6 Sa__ >:==:@? 7@C 2 ?6H =@42= 7@@5 AC@4FC6>6?E AC@8C2>[ E@ 36 FD65 =2C86=J 3J 7@@5 32?<D] k^Am

kAmxE H@F=5 >@G6 2FE9@C:EJ 7@C 7@C6:8? 7@@5 2DD:DE2?46 AC@8C2>D F?56C &$sp 7C@> E96 ?@H\567F?4E &]$] p86?4J 7@C x?E6C?2E:@?2= s6G6=@A>6?E] k^Am

kAmxE H@F=5 C2:D6 E96 =:>:E E92E :?5:G:5F2= 72C>6CD 4@F=5 3@CC@H 7C@> &$sp 2?5 6IA2?5 CFC2= 56G6=@A>6?E AC@8C2>D E92E 7F?5 DF3DE2?46 23FD6 2?5 >6?E2= 962=E9 D6CG:46D]k^Am

kAm|6>36CD G@E65 %9FCD52J >@C?:?8 7@C 2? 2>6?5>6?E E92E C6>@G65 2 4@?EC@G6CD:2= AC@G:D:@? E@ D9:6=5 A6DE:4:56 AC@5F46CD 7C@> =682= =:23:=:EJ E@ H2C? FD6CD @7 2 C:D< @7 42?46C] x7 :E 3642>6 =2H[ E96 AC@G:D:@? H@F=5 92G6 >@@E65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6HD7C@>E96DE2E6D]4@>^2CE:4=6^FD\DFAC6>6\4@FCE\962CD\2C8F>6?ED\42?46C\H2C?:?8\=236=D\C@F?5FA\H665<:==6CQm2 42D6 2C8F65k^2m 367@C6 E96 &]$] $FAC6>6 r@FCE E9:D H66< C6=2E65 E@ 2 |:DD@FC: ;FCJ’D 2H2C5 E@ 2 FD6C @7 |@?D2?E@’D A@AF=2C #@F?5FA H665<:==6C H9@ 56G6=@A65 ?@?\w@58<:? =J>A9@>2]k^Am

k9cm“v@:?8 E@ >2<6 9F?86C H@CD6”k^9cm

kAm$6G6C2= s6>@4C2ED D=2>>65 E96 3:==[ 3FE D66>65 E@ E2<6 >@C6 :DDF6 H:E9 E96 “3:8 362FE:7F=” =2H %CF>A D:8?65 =2DE yF=J c] %96 72C> 3:==[ |2DD249FD6EED s6>@4C2E y:> |4v@G6C? D2:5[ H@F=5 ?@E 4@F?E6C24E E96 492?86D :? E92E =2H]k^Am

kAm“(6 2C6 4@?D:56C:?8 @? E96 7=@@C 2 7:G6\J62C 72C> 3:== E92E[ BF:E6 7C2?<=J[ 5@6D ?@E9:?8 7@C @FC 72C>6CD 2?5 D4C6HD @G6C A@@C A6@A=6 2?5 >2:?E2:?D E96 ?62C=J Sa__ 3:==:@? :? 4FED E@ $}p![” E96 E@A w@FD6 #F=6D r@>>:EE66 s6>@4C2E D2:5 @? E96 w@FD6 7=@@C %9FCD52J] “xE :D 8@:?8 E@ >2<6 9F?86C H@CD6 :? E9:D 4@F?ECJ]”k^Am

kAm%9@>AD@? D2:5 s6>@4C2ED H6C6 E@@ 7@4FD65 @? H92E H2D ?@E :? E96 3:==[ C2E96C E92? E96 AC@G:D:@?D E92E 6?;@J 3:A2CE:D2? DFAA@CE]k^Am

kAm“%@52J[ J@F H:== 962C D@>6 @AA@D:?8 4@>>6?ED >256 E92E E9:D :D 2 A2CE:D2? 3:== 2?5 6G6? >@C6 @? H92E’D ?@E :? E96 3:==[” 96 D2:5 2E E96 @FED6E @7 7=@@C 5632E6] “%9:D 3:== :D 7:==65 H:E9 8@@5 A@=:4J E92E :D 2=D@ @G6CH96=>:?8=J 3:A2CE:D2?]k^Am

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seth Tupper for questions: info@southdakotasearchlight.com.