Costa Supports Farm and Family Relief Act to Help Central Valley Communities
WASHINGTON - This week, Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) announced his support for the of the Farm and Family Relief Act framework which was rolled out by Democratic members of the House Agriculture Committee at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Watch the press conference here.
The Farm and Family Relief Act is a response to President Trump’s crushing tariffs and massive unfunded mandate to the states through a cost-shift in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – which have endangered the financial wellbeing of farmers, increased the cost of groceries and threatened food access for millions of American children, seniors and veterans.
“Folks in farm country are hurting. We lost key export markets during President Trump’s first term and still haven’t recovered them in his second,” said Rep. Costa. “Tariffs are a tax on American consumers and a burden on farmers, ranchers, and dairy producers. Families feel it every time they go to the grocery store. Food is a national security issue, and it’s inexcusable that food deserts exist in the richest country in the world. The Farm and Family Relief Act will provide real relief to our farmers and families, helping ensure they can stay in business and put dinner on the table.”
“Americans know that life is simply more expensive today than when President Trump took office last year. Family farmers have been bankrupted by Trump’s ill-conceived trade wars and state governments are facing the terrifying reality that they may need to let millions of residents go hungry because of his heartless cuts to food assistance. The Farm and Family Relief Act doesn’t pick winners and losers. It helps all Americans by reigning in the tariffs that have increased our cost of living, giving states breathing room to adapt to shifting SNAP rules and providing an economic lifeline to farmers so they can continue to feed our nation and the world. Unlike the Trump administration, which loves to pick winners and losers, the Farm and Family Relief Act has provisions that help all Americans – and only as a package can we deliver true relief to the American people,” said Ranking Member Craig.
View the Farm and Family Relief Act one-pager HERE.
The American Farm Bureau Federation estimated in November that U.S. farmers have accumulated over $50 billion in losses across the last three crop years. The 2025/26 crop year shows the steepest loss at $28 billion, influenced by Trump’s tariffs. Farm leaders have described the president’s $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program as “not enough.” Fruits and vegetable prices are up an average of 5.3 percent, while food eaten away from home has increased 4.1 percent. It still remains unclear how much, if any, specialty crops will receive.