April 10, 2025 – Despite a prevailing sense on Capitol Hill that passing a farm bill this year is highly unlikely, lawmakers in both chambers introduced a flurry of marker bills over the past 10 days.
Marker bills are small bills that senators and representatives attempt to insert into the larger legislative package during farm bill negotiations. Mike Lavender, policy director at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), said getting bills out there, even when the future of the farm bill is uncertain, helps advocates and members of Congress organize support (or opposition). Plus, the farm bill process could begin at any time. “Essentially, we have to be ready,” he told Civil Eats.
Here are six bills to pay attention to.
Food Security and Farm Protection Act, introduced by Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas): A revision of the EATS Act that would overturn California’s Proposition 12, which banned selling pork from pigs raised in tight confinement. This new bill would prevent states from restricting food sales based on farm production practices if the “pre-harvest production” occurred in another state. This would mean California couldn’t stop pork from pigs raised in gestation crates in Iowa from being sold within its borders. It’s a top priority for the National Pork Producers Association.
New Producer Economic Security Act, introduced by Nikki Budzinski (D-Illinois), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Joe Courtney (D-Connecticut), Don Davis (D-North Carolina), et al.: A major priority of the Young Farmers Coalition, the bill creates a new program within USDA that would help young and new farmers access land, credit, and capital.
Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act, introduced by Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): Creates an office and team of investigators within the USDA to prevent anticompetitive practices in the meat and poultry industry and enforce the Packers & Stockyards Act. Backed by the National Farmers Union and U.S. Cattlemen’s Association.
Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act, introduced by Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) in the Senate, Jim Costa (D-CA) and Nick Langworthy (R-NY) in the House: Backed by the dairy industry, the bill would give SNAP recipients who buy dairy products extra dollars to buy more cheese and yogurt.
Livestock Owned By Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Food Act, introduced by Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont): A simple tweak to the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) that will make it easier for farmers to sell animals slaughtered on their farms directly to consumers. It’s a priority of the National Family Farm Coalition.
Save Our Small (SOS) Farms Act, introduced by Jahana Hayes (D-Connecticut) et al. in the House, Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) in the Senate: Supported by NSAC, the bill would make it easier for small farms to access crop insurance and disaster aid. (Link to this post.)
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