What the Reconciliation Bill Means for Organic Agriculture

House Agriculture Committee Passes Controversial Budget Reconciliation Bill

Earlier this week, the House Agriculture Committee released its budget reconciliation bill and then met for the bill’s markup, during which committee members reviewed, debated, and discussed amendments to the proposed legislation. On Wednesday evening (May 14), the House Agriculture Committee passed the bill with all 29 Republicans in favor and all 25 Democrats opposed. The bill would slash over $290 billion from the Farm Bill baseline while increasing spending by about $60 billion to achieve $230 billion in spending cuts over 10 years. These savings are part of a broader $1.5 trillion deficit reduction effort tied to extending Trump-era tax cuts and increasing spending on defense and border security. The bill now goes to the House Budget Committee, which will merge it with the reconciliation measures passed by other committees. The House Budget Committee markup for the full reconciliation bill will be on Friday, May 16 at 9 a.m. The next step after that is a full floor vote in the chamber on the bill.

Resources: bill text and section-by-section summary of its provisions. You can watch the House Agriculture Committee markup on Day 1 here and Day 2 here.

Deep Cuts to Nutrition Assistance

The bill would achieve the majority of its deep spending cuts by overhauling the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Proposed changes include limiting future benefit increases, implementing new work requirements, and shifting program costs to states. These policies risk removing millions of food-insecure Americans from the program.

A ‘Mini Farm Bill’ with Major Implications

The bill has been characterized as a “mini Farm Bill” because it includes provisions related to commodity support programs, crop insurance enhancements, and conservation funding. However, under budget reconciliation rules, only provisions that directly affect mandatory spending can be included—leaving out significant parts of the full Farm Bill.

NOC is concerned that moving forward with this reconciliation package decreases the likelihood of passing a comprehensive, five-year Farm Bill before the end of the year. We join the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and more than 160 farmer-serving organizations in calling on Congressional Agriculture leaders to “stand for a new, full Farm Bill by rejecting and opposing any and all approaches to budget reconciliation that will reduce market opportunities for farmers and lessen the likelihood of a much-needed full Farm Bill.”

What’s at Stake for Organic Programs?

The proposed legislation includes partial funding for some critical ‘orphan’ organic programs. NOC has been urging Congress to restore funding for these programs:

  • Organic Certification Cost Share Program:

    • Provides $8 million each year through 2031, including funding for 2025.

    • While this is a partial win, the funding is insufficient to fully support the program, potentially forcing some farms to abandon certification due to rising costs.

  • Organic Data Initiative (ODI):

    • Provides $10 million from 2026 through 2031, doubling the 2018 Farm Bill’s funding.

    • ODI is critical for collecting and analyzing data to support organic producers and ensure competitiveness in a growing market.

  • Organic Certification Trade and Tracking system:

    • Provides $6 million for technology infrastructure to enforce organic regulations and prevent fraud.

    • Funding this initiative is essential to safeguard the integrity of the organic label and enforce the new Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule.

Notably, the bill makes no specific reference to the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), meaning mandatory funding for this flagship research program would remain flat. If the reconciliation bill becomes law, separate Farm Bill legislation will be required to reauthorize funding for OREI and other critical programs.

Many critical organic provisions NOC has requested are left out and would need to be addressed in a separate, comprehensive Farm Bill package. For example, the organic dairy data collection provisions and language authorizing appropriations for the National Organic Program are not included in this bill because, under Budget Reconciliation rules, they are not considered “germane” — they don’t have a direct impact on mandatory spending.

This piecemeal approach leaves multiple aspects of organic oversight and market support unresolved and increases uncertainty for organic farmers and businesses.

A Troubling Shift to Partisan Farm Policy

As of Tuesday evening on May 13, all Republicans on the Committee expressed support for the bill, and no Republican amendments were filed. All House Agriculture Committee Democrats are expected to vote against the bill. Turning the traditionally bipartisan Farm Bill process into a partisan one sets a concerning precedent for future legislation. 

Abby Youngblood