What is the Farm Bill?

Last updated on July 15, 2026.

What is the Farm Bill, and how does it affect what kids eat? We’re glad you asked.

The “Farm Bill” refers to a package of legislation overseeing a wide array of food and agricultural programs. The last version was passed in 2018, making it a priority for food and farms advocates.

The Farm Bill can be overwhelming to understand, but it’s also relevant to every single person in the country — and especially to kids who rely on schools for their daily nutrition. Here are some important things to know about the Farm Bill and why it matters.

The Farm Bill is a big investment in our food system.

Let’s get more granular about what goes into the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is what’s known as an omnibus bill package — a single proposal that contains many smaller measures — and it passes approximately every five years. Drafted by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture, it is the most important legislative vehicle through which the USDA enacts policy change. 

Policies enacted via the Farm Bill are also critical in creating a healthy and sustainable school meal supply chain, supporting local farmers and food systems, and keeping groceries affordable. All of these factors play a big role in the foods that schools can offer students. This means…

The Farm Bill will impact school nutrition.

FoodCorps is working toward an ambitious goal: for every child to have access to food education and nourishing food in school. This means we’re deeply invested in policies that impact kids’ access to food in school.

For example: Many kids are eligible for free school meals because their family already participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. This process is called direct certification, and it eliminates burdensome paperwork and automatically ensures kids who receive SNAP at home are eligible to receive free meals during the school day. A reduction in SNAP eligibility as determined by the Farm Bill could mean fewer students qualifying to receive school meals, and therefore fewer kids getting the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

The Farm Bill can also help build stronger connections between farmers and school nutrition programs. For example, we support legislation that would make it easier for schools to source locally grown, locally raised, and locally caught food and farm products for their meal programs. These products are often fresher, more nutritious, and beneficial to local economies. In fact, during the pandemic, some FoodCorps school district partners shared that they were able to avoid many food-related supply chain challenges by working with local vendors and producers.

Food and farm policies affect kids, families, and communities in countless ways, which is why FoodCorps and other groups watch this legislation so closely. But it’s also important to keep in mind that…

The Farm Bill will require bipartisan support to be successful.

In June 2026, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman released a Farm Bill discussion draft that leaves in place a harmful shift of SNAP costs to states. FoodCorps was concerned to see this proposal, and instead encourages Congress to pursue solutions that strengthen nutrition assistance, reduce childhood hunger, and support children’s health and learning. Despite political differences across the aisle, the success of this legislation depends on bipartisan cooperation and support. 

The Farm Bill is a major investment in our farmers, our food system, and our kids. Ensuring our children are nourished and thriving is a bipartisan issue. FoodCorps will continue to work with policymakers to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that prioritizes the well-being of our nation’s kids. 

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