Vindman Backs Legislation Supporting Rural Communities, Hardworking Americans Left Behind by Trump

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07), the only Virginian on the House Agriculture Committee, today backed legislation that would support Virginia farmers and protect food access for the working families that the Trump administration has left behind.

"As the only Virginian on the House Agriculture Committee, I see firsthand how President Trump's tariffs and reckless cost-shifts in SNAP are squeezing farmers and hurting families across our Commonwealth and nation," said Vindman. "The Farm and Family Relief Act takes meaningful steps to strengthen the financial security of our producers, lower grocery prices, and ensure that families, seniors, and veterans don't have to choose between putting food on their tables and paying their bills."

Originally unveiled at a press conference last week, the Farm and Family Relief Act would provide meaningful relief to America's family farmers and working people being crushed by the inflation and higher costs caused by President Trump's tariffs and Republican cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Trump's Big Ugly Bill.

The Farm and Family Relief Act addresses tariff hikes that have increased the cost of living and strengthens the economic foundation farmers rely on to feed our communities and global partners. It also addresses the significant unfunded burden placed on states through cost-shifts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

BACKGROUND

Trump's tariffs and trade policies have jeopardized farmers' financial stability, driven up grocery prices, and put access to food at risk for millions of American children, seniors, and veterans.

According to a new report by Joint Economic Committee Democrats, Trump's inflation cost the average family $1,625 in the past year. Fruits and vegetable prices are up an average of 5.3 percent, while food eaten away from home has increased 4.1 percent. Hardworking Americans paid $310 more for groceries in 2025 than the year before.

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."

The National Governors Association recently estimated that annual SNAP expenditures could increase an average of $218 million per state if payment error rate data collected during the shutdown period is not excluded from cost-shift calculations, and a coalition of state and local stakeholders has urged Congress to delay the cost shifts.

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