After months of negotiations, the U.S. House and Senate have passed Farm Bill Reauthorization legislation. The bill rewrites the federal nutrition title, the law governing food programs that provide support for low-income Americans.   

The $307-billion farm bill includes a $10-billion increase in funding for key programs, including food stamps, food banks and school nutrition programs. 

Among these increases are key changes to the food stamp program. The amount for both the minimum benefit and the standard deduction were raised. And, for the first time in the program’s 40-year history, these numbers will be fully indexed to increase at the rate of inflation. This will help to reverse the dramatic drop in food stamp buying power seen each year. 

The bill also provides $110 million in increased funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides support for crisis feeding organizations like food banks and soup kitchens.   

Both of these increases come at a critical time for many low-income families who are struggling under the pressure of rising food prices and fuel costs. This year, food banks across the country have reported rising demand and limited supply, leaving many without needed resources. 

The bill also contains some administrative reforms, most notably changing the name of the Food Stamp program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. 

The last farm bill was passed in 2002 and was set to expire in September 2007. Lawmakers extended it multiple times while they worked to craft the new bill. President Bush vetoed the bill, citing objections to the cost. But, support in Congress was strong, enabling the veto to be overridden.