Farm Bill Update
After being extended three times over the past eight years, the 2018 Farm Bill has now officially EXPIRED as of October 1, 2026. This expiration comes as the U.S. Senate has been stuck in a tense partisan divide over its version of the Farm Bill, with the biggest sticking point being the Bill’s lack of SNAP benefit extensions. Most recently, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced that the Senate Farm Bill would cost $4.4 billion over the 10-year window. To add more urgency, certain program funding from the previous Farm Bill will run until December 31, 2026, such as dairy support measures, and without a new Farm Bill or an extension, 1930s and 1940s price formulas will be triggered and applied. All in all, there is a lot of uncertainty for farmers right now as nothing has been set in stone and everything remains in political flux.
However, all is not lost. While the outcome of the midterm elections are likely to shake things up, leaders on both sides of the aisle still remain optimistic about the prospect of getting some sort of Farm Bill through. Republican Senator John Boozman recently remarked that Trump really wants to get a farm bill done and that no one wants another extension. Democratic Senator Tina Smith has also remarked that both sides have to “figure out a way” to bring the votes together to get something passed. The U.S. Senate returns on Monday, November 9th, 2026. Thus, the pressure is on once they return!
On a similar note, a few weeks ago, the USDA announced an $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief Program meant to give one-time payments to farmers to provide relief for market disruptions and rising costs. The program is administered by the Farm Services Agency, and payments for Title I commodities should begin this month.
SNAP Update
Connected to the Farm Bill fight described above, a recent report has found that SNAP participation has fallen by more than 5 million since the OBBBA went into effect, marking the lowest point of participation in 17 years. With state cost-shifting requirements on the horizon, that number is expected to continue to decline. In fact, the CBO estimates that the OBBBA’s cuts to SNAP and other nutrition programs would reduce federal spending by almost $187 billion over the next decade. Early research suggests that this estimate might even be too low, as the SNAP participation decline was steeper than the CBO had anticipated. Finally, experts suggest that this reduced reliance on SNAP will result in higher burdens on local food banks as more people are turned away from the program. Recently, more states, such as Michigan and Minnesota, have begun to implement the USDA’s work requirements. Therefore, the Farm Bill fight in the U.S. Senate will have direct implications for the future of the program.
On a different note, a new proposed rule by the USDA would require all states to adopt chip-enabled EBT cards and require retailers who accept SNAP to have pay terminals allowing for tap-pay. The initiative comes out of the concern for card skimming, and the USDA hopes the proposed rule will reduce stolen benefits by $1.5 billion over the next 10 years. States would have two years to comply if the rule is adopted. The Open Comment period is active now and will end on December 22, 2026. Feel free to submit comments here.
USDA’s Reorganization Effort
On October 13th, 2026, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California prohibited the USDA from closing offices or relocating employees nationwide while a lawsuit brought by four federal employee unions (such as the AFGE) proceeds in federal court. Specifically, the order granted a stay request from these federal labor unions, which have been suing over the USDA’s reorganization plans. The crux of the order hinges on the idea that the reorganization activities by the USDA cannot occur without congressional approval under the APA, as the funding streams are controlled by Congress. However, the current congressional funding stream expires on December 11, 2026. Therefore, the order may only have a short-term effect, as a new Congressional appropriation could grant such funding to the USDA to complete the relocation. For now, the relocation effort has been stalled until at least December. The case itself will continue in the District Court, and the USDA has appealed the preliminary injunction ruling to the Ninth Circuit.
Furthermore, despite this order, as recently as October 28th, the USDA has continued to send out employee relocation letters, in apparent violation of the court’s order preventing the issuance or enforcement of reassignment letters. Thus, based on this new information, the District Court will likely to react, so it will be important to keep an eye on this litigation as it continues.
Taylor Farms Cyclospora Update
Taylor Farms, the company behind the recent massive cyclospora outbreak, has chosen to indefinitely suspend the harvest and processing of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico for U.S. sale during the CDC’s cyclospora season (running from May through August). The company has also committed to investing in more research and monitoring to prevent another outbreak in the future. As of last month, the FDA concluded its investigation into the summer outbreak. The FDA found that Cyclospora was present in the environment where the lettuce was grown and processed after the FDA received two positive test results from locations around the facility in Mexico. However, the FDA also clarified that its investigation did not conclusively determine how contamination occurred in the summer outbreak. Overall, this investigation and CDC conclusion mark the end of the largest Cyclospora outbreak in U.S. history. As a result of this outbreak, 12,883 illnesses were reported, and there were 2 deaths associated with this contamination from across 21 states.
Those are all the updates I have for you as of now! Please stay tuned as more information comes along. Otherwise, make sure you cast your ballots, pay attention to the results of the midterm elections, and stay informed as things are bound to change rapidly!
Daniel Schettini (he/him) is a third-year law student at the UCLA School of Law. Originally from Long Beach, CA, Daniel is a proud Double-Bruin. Daniel attended UCLA as an undergraduate, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) in physiological science and political science. In law school, Daniel is a Managing Editor of the UCLA Law Review, the Vice-President of the UCLA Law SBA, and Vice President of External Outreach for the Moot Court Honors Board. He has also previously served as the Treasurer of the SBA, Vice-Chair of the Food Law Society, the Vice President of the Health Law Society, and the Education Chair of OUTLaw. His legal studies are predominantly focused on the intersection between food policy, the environment, and human health. During his first summer, Daniel gained valuable litigation experience externing for a Federal Magistrate Judge in the Central District of California. This past summer, Daniel honed his skills as a Summer Associate at King & Spalding, focused on healthcare litigation in LA. After graduation, Daniel plans on working in the consumer class action litigation space, where he will continue to explore his interests in health, food, and environmental law.
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on unceded Indigenous homelands.
We acknowledge and honor the descendants of the Tongva, Kizh, and Gabrieleño peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands). We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
As part of a greater foodshed, we would also like to pay respect to and honor the Chumash, Tataviam, Serrano, Kitanemuk, ʔíviĨuqaletem, Acjachemen, Payómkawichum, and any other tribal group possibly not mentioned. As a Food Policy Council for Los Angeles we recognize this land acknowledgment is limited and engagement is an ongoing process of learning and accountability. To learn more about these First Nations, visit here.