Federal Farm Bill expires, possibly impacting food-insecure Minnesotans
MINNEAPOLIS — The nearly $900 billion federal Farm Bill, which funds everything from conservation efforts to food stamps, expired Tuesday at midnight.
While funds — tallying into the hundreds of billions — won't run out until the end of the year, the change will impact millions across the country, including in Minnesota.
The Farm Bill is one of the most comprehensive federal legislation packages on agricultural policy, divided into different sections that cover a broad array of federal programs.
However, specifically in Minnesota, one area hurt by this bill's expiration is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Increasing SNAP allocations back to COVID levels is something Minnesota lawmakers are pushing for at the White House.
In the next Farm Bill, if that happens, state leaders are also looking to enable land access for emerging farmers, reform crop insurance to better support smaller farms and improve conservation programs.
The bill's expiration date does not mean programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have run out of money. That won't technically start until next year, but there is still a sense of urgency to reauthorize it. Many believe that won't happen until after the election.