Why It Matters

Sharp partisan divides on critical farm programs will come to light on December 10, 2025 Member Day hearing. Farmers are issuing increasingly urgent warnings that they’ll face grim consequences if they don’t get help selling this year’s bumper crop that many have begun harvesting.

Trade deals many had hoped would quickly emerge after President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on some of the United States’ biggest agricultural customers haven’t materialized.

For Democrats: Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5) and other Democratic members are defending SNAP, opposing a proposed $230 billion cut to nutrition assistance. The hearing will be a platform to champion nutrition programs as non-negotiable Farm Bill components.

For Republicans: Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4) is advancing tax cuts and agricultural investments, including death tax relief and crop insurance improvements. GOP members will likely preview major policy shifts being pursued through budget reconciliation.

Key Issues at Stake:

Broader Context

The Member Day hearing arrives at a critical inflection point for U.S. agricultural policy as Congress prepares for Farm Bill negotiations—the most comprehensive agricultural legislation passed every five years.

Several major policy battles have set the stage:

SNAP Funding Dispute: Rep. Jahana Hayes led House Agriculture Committee Democrats in opposing a proposed $230 billion cut to SNAP, signaling Democrats will use the hearing to champion nutrition programs.

Tax and Economic Relief: Rep. Randy Feenstra has promoted tax cuts aligned with the Trump administration agenda, including death tax relief for farmers and improved crop insurance affordability.

Digital Asset Regulation: Rep. Dusty Johnson celebrated passage of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act through committee with a 47-6 vote, modernizing financial markets tied to commodity trading.

Members have conducted extensive outreach throughout 2025, with Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN-1) meeting with the Minnesota Farm Bureau and Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) holding discussions with Illinois agricultural groups.

The Agenda

The hearing will feature testimony from committee members across the political spectrum. Democratic leaders include Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, and Rep. Shontel M. Brown (D-OH-11), the committee’s Vice Ranking Member.

On the Republican side, Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) chairs the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, while Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4) brings tax policy expertise from his dual committee assignments.

Additional participants include Rep. Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA-24), who focuses on specialty crop producers, and Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL-12), who has engaged with horticultural industry representatives.

Between The Lines

Committee Chair Frank Lucas sets the tone with his successful push for legislation safeguarding U.S. agriculture from foreign investments, signaling national security as a core focus.

Democratic leadership centers on protecting nutrition programs, with Ranking Member Hayes leading opposition to SNAP cuts. The partisan divide is sharpest here, as past testimony shows Democrats strongly criticizing Republican proposals to cut benefits.

Republican priorities emphasize economic relief and regulatory modernization. Multiple Republicans have championed the House Agriculture reconciliation package, while Rep. Johnson’s successful advancement of digital asset legislation establishes regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies.

Competitive Landscape

Several organizations are actively lobbying the committee on relevant issues. The Weston A. Price Foundation lobbied on pesticide liability, while the Arkansas Farm Bureau engaged on the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

Industry engagement is extensive. Rep. Mike Bost met with AmericanHort representatives on Farm Bill priorities, while Rep. Salud O. Carbajal toured food processing facilities, highlighting supply chain and food safety concerns.

The Bottom Line

The Member Day hearing will showcase deep partisan divisions heading into 2026 Farm Bill negotiations. Democrats will defend nutrition assistance after opposing a $230 billion SNAP cut, while Republicans advance tax relief and regulatory clarity, including the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.

The hearing will reveal which issues command bipartisan support—such as foreign investment restrictions—and which remain battlegrounds, particularly around nutrition program funding and the Farm Bill’s scope.

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