Chairman Boozman’s Farm Bill Fails to Reverse SNAP Cuts, Exacerbates Hunger Crisis in Maryland

Media Contact:

Colleen Barton
cbarton@frac.org
703-203-7843

Statement attributable to LaMonika Jones, director,
Maryland Hunger Solutions

GAITHERSBURG, June 25, 2026 – This week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-AR) released a Farm Bill discussion draft that ignores the needs of thousands of Maryland residents, including children, older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and working families struggling to put food on the table.

Maryland Hunger Solutions is deeply concerned that the draft does nothing to reverse the unprecedented $187 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enacted under the budget reconciliation law, H.R. 1. It also fails to address harmful cost shifts to states that threaten the program’s long-term strength and accessibility.

With a SNAP payment error rate of 13.08 percent in fiscal year 2025, Maryland could face some of the steepest financial penalties under the new cost-sharing structure, further increasing pressure on local budgets already stretched by rising administrative costs. With a requirement to cover up to 15 percent of benefit costs, H.R. 1 shifts a $412.5 million burden onto Maryland.

The impact of these cuts is already reverberating across the state. An estimated 80,000 SNAP participants may be impacted as a result of new SNAP policy changes under H.R. 1. Residents rely on SNAP to help feed their families, and new time limits and reporting requirements are creating additional barriers that could cause eligible individuals to lose benefits — not because they no longer qualify, but because they are unaware of new rules or unable to navigate complex paperwork requirements.

For Maryland families, losing SNAP can have far-reaching consequences. Children may lose automatic access to free school meals and SUN Bucks, increasing the risk of hunger where they live, learn, and play. Parents who are already stretched thin may be forced to choose between buying groceries and paying rent, utility bills, transportation costs, or medical expenses. Older adults living on fixed incomes and residents with disabilities could face even greater challenges meeting their basic needs.

These cuts also threaten Maryland’s broader economy. SNAP benefits support neighborhood grocery stores, corner markets, and local businesses while helping families maintain stability during difficult times. Every federal SNAP dollar lost is a dollar no longer circulating in local communities.

The Farm Bill should strengthen food security and support families, not make it harder for people to access the assistance they need. Unfortunately, Chairman Boozman’s proposal does not restore lost benefits, reverse harmful SNAP policy changes in H.R. 1, or recognize the critical role the program plays in reducing hunger and supporting economic stability across the state.

Maryland families need a Farm Bill that invests in food assistance to ensure everyone has access to the nutrition they need to thrive. We urge Chairman Boozman and members of the Senate Agriculture Committee to work toward a bipartisan Farm Bill that strengthens SNAP, reverses harmful cost shifts to states, and protects Marylanders from deeper food insecurity.

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Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), works to end hunger and improve the nutrition, health, and well-being of Maryland residents.