Seeking help in the US Senate to pass a long-overdue Farm Bill

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) by a vote of 224–200, advancing a five-year reauthorization of federal agriculture, nutrition and conservation policy. 

While movement on a long-overdue Farm Bill is important, the House-passed legislation raises serious moral concerns. It locks in deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — our nation’s most effective anti-hunger program —while failing to restore support for families already struggling with rising food costs. 

As people of faith committed to ending hunger and caring for God’s creation, we must speak clearly: a Farm Bill that weakens nutrition assistance is not a faithful Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill has long reflected a sacred covenant linking farmers, eaters and communities through shared commitments to food security, environmental stewardship, and economic well-being. When nutrition programs, conservation efforts and farm supports work together, they strengthen both rural and urban economies. 

SNAP is central to that system. Every dollar invested in food assistance supports local businesses, stabilizes farm income and strengthens communities. When these supports are weakened, families struggle, farmers lose markets and the entire food system is put at risk. 

But the House bill departs from this tradition: 

• It locks in an estimated $187 billion in SNAP cuts, reducing access to food for millions of households
• It weakens key protections under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), limiting environmental review and community input on major projects
• It scales back critical supports for producers, including reduced investment in programs like the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) that connect farmers and consumers
• It also constrains assistance through programs such as the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), leaving vulnerable farmers with fewer safeguards against losses. 

Taken together, these changes shift resources away from food assistance, environmental protections and resilient agricultural support systems. 

This is not just a policy debate — it is a moral and economic crossroads. 

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), through the Office of Public Witness and its partners, has long advocated for a Faithful Farm Bill — one that upholds human dignity, supports those who grow our food and cares for Creation. 

Scripture reminds us: “For I was hungry and you gave me food …  just as you did it to one of the least of these … you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35–40) 

A Faithful Farm Bill must: 

• Protect and strengthen anti-hunger programs. SNAP is a lifeline for families and a cornerstone of local economies.
• Sustain and expand conservation programs. Investments in soil, water, and climate resilience are essential for the future of farming.
• Support small, beginning, and under-resourced farmers. A just agricultural system requires fair access to land, credit, and markets.
• Honor and protect farmworkers. Day laborers, migrant workers, and seasonal workers are vital to our food system yet often face low wages and unsafe conditions. Their dignity must be reflected in fair labor standards and protections.
• Keep the Farm Bill whole. The historic partnership between nutrition and agriculture is both a moral commitment and an economic strategy that must be preserved. 

At a time of persistent food insecurity, we cannot accept policies that deepen hunger or weaken the systems that sustain our communities. 

The Senate will soon take up its version of the Farm Bill. Now is the time to act. Contact your Senators by clicking here and urging them to: 

• Reject SNAP cuts and strengthen nutrition program
• Protect conservation investments that steward our land and climate
• Ensure equitable support for small and underserved farmers
• Protect farm workers with fair wages and safe conditions 
• Keep the Farm Bill whole, linking food security, agriculture, economic vitality, and care for Creation.