Boozman: Farm bill draft in June, markup in July

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., told The Hagstrom Report on Monday that the Senate draft of the farm bill will be released in June, but the markup will not be held before the July 4 recess. 

On the sidelines of the vote on a nominee, Boozman said that the bill draft will be released “in the next week or so … the next couple weeks.”

When asked about negotiations with the Democrats over the provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that requires states to pay part of the costs of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program based on their payment error rates, Boozman said that negotiations are taking place, but there are limits due to the costs.

The OBBBA allowed states with the highest error rates a longer time to adjust, but Democrats have said all states should be treated the same. 

Boozman said, however, that negotiators are “trying to figure out a pathway.”

When asked if the bill will include a provision allowing the nationwide, year-round sale of E15, a fuel with a higher ethanol level than currently allowed, Boozman said that he believes E15 should be handled in a stand-alone bill.

He noted that E15 is not in the jurisdiction of the Senate Agriculture Committee and also pointed out that the House struggled to reach a compromise that could pass. The bill passed the House, but small and medium-sized refiners remain dissatisfied with it.