The debt deal already cleared up SNAP.

This week's bipartisan agreement to suspend the debt ceiling until 2025 in exchange for various spending reforms may directly impact the farm bill's chances this year. The bill, called the Fiscal Responsibility Act, made several eligibility changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Disagreement over these changes had been a major point of contention standing in the way of a farm bill reauthorization.

The agreement requires able-bodied SNAP beneficiaries without dependents up to age 54 to work or be in a work training program, an increase from the current maximum age of 49. It also added new exemptions to the work requirements for the homeless, veterans and people younger than 24 who were formerly in foster care. The changes are estimated to result in a net addition of about 78,000 new recipients.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) told reporters Tuesday that the bill "takes the issue of SNAP work requirements off the table. So, that's just one less issue we're going to have to negotiate" in the farm bill. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA) told Agri-Pulse, "I think it helps the farm bill process, absolutely." However, he suggested that the House may still consider changes to SNAP work requirements as it proceeds through the farm bill debate.

The current farm bill, passed in 2018, expires September 30, 2023. Both Stabenow and Thompson have publicly expressed optimism that they can complete a reauthorization before the end of the year. The Fiscal Responsibility Act passed the House Wednesday by a 314-117 vote and cleared the Senate late Thursday by a 63-36 vote.