Larsen fights for lower costs, supports farmers

||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN |||

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement: 

“Republicans are doing nothing in this Farm Bill to lower food prices for families, lower costs for farmers or lower tariffs for small businesses. This bill also does nothing to address the sky-high fertilizer and fuel costs caused by Trump’s illegal war in Iran. Congress should be helping farmers stay afloat, not hanging them out to dry.

“Republicans also blocked an amendment I supported to repeal the Big Ugly Law’s cuts to food assistance. Just in Washington state, the Big Ugly Law will take away 129,000 people’s SNAP benefits. I cannot support legislation that abandons hungry children and families.

“I will keep fighting to support Northwest Washington farmers and lower costs for all Americans.”

Today, Rep. Larsen voted against the 2026 Farm Bill. The legislation passed on a 224-200 vote.

Rep. Larsen offered an amendment to the 2026 Farm Bill that would increase funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) from $10 million to $15 million. FRSAN provides funding to reduce stress and improve the behavioral health of farmers and ranchers. Washington State University leads the program in the Northwest. Republicans did not allow the amendment to be considered for inclusion in the final Farm Bill.

Rep. Larsen also cosponsored an amendment to repeal the cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Republicans’ Big Ugly Law (BUL). This amendment is based on Rep. Hayes’ Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act, legislation that Larsen cosponsored to remove all the SNAP cuts in the BUL. Republicans did not allow this amendment to be considered for inclusion in the final bill.

Nearly one million Washingtonians rely on SNAP benefits every month to purchase food. As a result of the BUL, 129,000 Washingtonians will lose their SNAP benefits if they fail to meet new work requirements, and 75,000 households will see a reduction in their monthly benefits. In Washington state, 25,801 people have already lost SNAP benefits because of the BUL.