The Senate Agriculture Committee met again Wednesday for the first time in over a month to re-vote on the Agriculture Act of 2026 – the farm bill, including E15 – and pass it along party lines by a vote of 12 to 11. Republicans prevailed on the vote this time with the presence of both Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Tom Tuberville (R-AL) who were absent during the last meeting. In response, all farm and biofuel groups sent out press releases applauding the action.

As he opened the meeting, Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) called for a vote immediately without any discussion and was surprised by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) bringing up an amendment she wanted to make to Title 12 of the bill that would protect livestock producers from state legislation like California’s Proposition 12. “I didn’t expect this,” said Boozman, as Sen. Ernst repeatedly called for a ruling from the chair. “It was a timely amendment. It is not out of order,” said Ernst. Ultimately, both Ernst and fellow Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley voted in favor of reporting the bill out of committee, despite their differences with the chairman.

Boozman argued that since the committee recessed instead of adjourned in August, it was understood they would come back to where they were at recess. “Then we could vote again without reopening the entirety of the bill. And if we did… the reality is we would have to start the whole committee to be fair. And we’re not prepared to do that,” said Boozman.

It was clear that the path forward with the farm bill on the Senate floor will hinge on SNAP and the Democrats demand for a a two-year delay of the SNAP cost share, but Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) stressed the need for getting the bill passed. “This bill has many other bipartisan provisions, including the year-round E15 that we’re really we’ve been working on – and I’m looking at Senator Ernst, Senator Fisher, Senator Grassley, Senator Thune, Senator Moran – for so long, and a stronger farm and ranch stress assistant network. All of this shows that there’s a lot we agree on this bill and that we really can’t afford to not get this done by the end of the year,” said Klobuchar.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) agreed. “Our farmers need certainty. And one of the things that’s included in here is E15, which is something I think a lot of us have fought long and hard for, and which is really important to a lot of producers across this country, and I would argue to help lower gas prices.”

Among the provisions included in the Senate bill is mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef added in August as a bipartisan amendment from Sen. Thune. The language directs USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative to develop a WTO-compliant path to restore labeling, rather than immediately reinstating the pre-2015 system. However, the House version does not include MCOOL, so the provision would still have to survive conference if both chambers pass their bills.

Listen to the committee meeting proceedings here:
Senate ag committee farm bill vote 40:14