WASHINGTON (DTN) -- A long list of congressional priorities and political obstacles faces the farm bill during the lame-duck session, including stagnant Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) negotiations.

Both chambers return to Washington Monday with roughly 20 scheduled legislative days remaining, and 53 calendar days until the end of the year.

Despite its historical value and expired status in farm country, the farm bill may not rank among Congress' highest priorities in 2026.

"The farm bill is probably on the short list of things," said Tim Gannon, an Iowa native and former USDA official under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden who is now a principal at Invariant's food and agriculture practice in Washington, D.C.

While he's hopeful for its passage, "it's not going to be as important as some kind of funding package," he said.

This week, permitting reform legislation, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), is headed to the Senate floor for a vote, while House members are weighing whether to consider Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment motion against Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth.

"If we do get a farm bill done before the end of the year, I think it'll be pretty unconventional," said Perry Aasness, vice president of legislative affairs for Compeer Financial, a farm credit institution serving Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.

As congressional priorities compete for attention, government funding deadlines could provide an unconventional vehicle for passing a farm bill.

A government funding deadline is approaching Dec. 11. Congress has yet to pass all 12 appropriations bills, and only three have cleared the House. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) also stands out as a priority as the war in Iran continues.

Traditionally, farm bills have moved through the Senate, with a conference report formally released and then approved by both chambers, often with overwhelming bipartisan support. But if Congress completes a farm bill this year, Aasness said, the process could be "short circuited to actually get it done."

Lawmakers could also turn to a continuing resolution (CR) to extend government funding or an omnibus spending package to combine appropriations and other legislative priorities.

History also offers some precedent. In 2018, Democrats flipped the House, and the Republican-controlled Congress passed the 2018 farm bill in December during the lame-duck session.

But circumstances have changed. A politically blue wave arrived in Washington last week, and the wedge placed in the farm bill between nutrition and commodity titles under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is not one Democrats have not forgotten.

THE LAME-DUCK CLOCK

The election created two competing dynamics: Democrats preparing to take power and Republicans, including retiring members, navigating their final weeks in office.

"There's definitely going to be folks looking to get a farm bill finished, but that doesn't mean that everyone's going to be," Gannon said.

Democrats exceeded expectations, potentially strengthening their resolve to hold the line on a two-year delay in SNAP cost-sharing or pursue their own farm bill in 2027.

Republicans face a ticking clock and the prospect of handing over control of Congress. In multiple interviews, two sources raised concerns about lawmakers showing up to vote, including the quiet presence of Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has been medically discharged.

Former Agriculture Secretary and Nebraska Sen. Mike Johanns said the election results leave Republicans facing a quieter political defeat, compounded by distractions and logistical challenges of a lame-duck session.

"It's hard to describe what happens to your life in that the very short period of time between election day and basically Christmas because you really need to be out of your office by Christmas," Johanns said.

Office picture frames come down; staff members begin leaving and senators quietly negotiate their next steps. Johanns described it as "pure chaos" during legislative business.

SNAP REMAINS THE STICKING POINT

There have been no public statements or indications that Democrats are willing to move away from their two-year SNAP cost-sharing position.

There are, however, some indications that Republicans are willing to come to the negotiating table. DTN reported last week that Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, expressed interest in a SNAP compromise.

"I hate to talk about compromising on getting fraud out of food stamps, but there may be some sort of compromise. We'll have to do with the Democrats to get 60 votes to get the bill out," he told reporters Tuesday. "It'll take some compromise, maybe on this food stamp issue."

For the remainder of the year, more Republican votes are needed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, potentially allowing lawmakers to agree on a two-year cost-sharing requirement and pass the remaining portions of the farm bill.

"If they can get the SNAP issues resolved, then everything else can be negotiated fairly easily," Gannon said.

In informal four-corners talks among congressional staff, three sources confirmed nutrition remains the outstanding title. Negotiations also include successful revisions to conservation and inclusion of mandatory country-of-origin labeling. But nothing is official until legislative text reaches the Senate floor or is included in another legislative vehicle.

If SNAP is resolved in the farm bill, Gannon said, "Some members are actually going to want to look at some things more closely," including provisions Republican leadership has urged its caucus to avoid to keep the bill narrow and noncontroversial.

Some senators have demonstrated a willingness to pick fights in 2026, particularly over amendments and procedural questions.

A Republican parliamentary dispute emerged during the September Agriculture Committee markup, when Sen. Joni Ernst challenged the decision to close off amendments to include a Proposition 12 repeal measure. Grassley also continues to look for legislative avenues to secure year-round E15 sales.

SEE: Farm Bill Clears Senate Committee After Procedural Dispute

https://www.dtnpf.com/…

The opportunity to offer amendments will depend heavily on the farm bill's legislative vehicle, with parliamentary decisions potentially moving beyond the Agriculture Committee's control.

ROBERT'S RULES OF DISORDER

Gannon recalled last spring, when the House version of the farm bill was stripped of E15 provisions because of jurisdictional challenges.

The provision was "tossed around like a hot potato and landed in the Senate version of the farm bill," he said.

As for future amendments and the farm bill itself, "It comes down to whether those folks who control those processes let it in or not," Gannon said. Ultimately, Senate rules and the parliamentarian's guidance can determine whether certain provisions survive in the Senate, while the House Rules Committee helps determine how legislation is considered on the House floor, including which amendments are allowed.

The farm bill would still need presidential approval. Under the Constitution, the president has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to act on legislation after receiving it. That window is not limited to the congressional session, although a congressional adjournment that prevents the return of a vetoed bill can trigger a pocket veto.

"We hope that this would be one of those low-hanging fruits to try to get done, clear the deck on the farm bill before the end of the year," said Aasness.

Jake Zajkowski can be reached at jake.zajkowski@dtn.com

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