House Passes Farm Bill with Amendment Allowing SNAP Purchases of Rotisserie Chicken
Similar Articles
House Removes Pesticide Lawsuit Shield From Farm Bill as White House Changes Surgeon General Nominee
House GOP Revolt Halts Debate on FISA, Farm Bill, and Border Funding
House to Vote on Surveillance, Farm, and Border Funding Before Recess
House Passes Homeland Security Funding, Ending Partial Shutdown
House Legislative Agenda Stalls as FISA Deadline Looms
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a $390 billion Farm Bill package that includes an amendment permitting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chickens. This change, which cleared the House with broad bipartisan support, would carve out an exception to a decades-old prohibition on using SNAP benefits for prepared foods. The broader Farm Bill, however, also locks in significant cuts to SNAP funding over the next decade.
Facts First
- The House passed a Farm Bill amendment allowing SNAP purchases of hot rotisserie chicken, clearing with a vote of 384 to 35.
- The amendment stems from the bipartisan Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, introduced in April 2026 to amend the 2008 Food and Nutrition Act.
- The $390 billion Farm Bill package passed the House on a partisan vote of 224-200, with 14 Democrats in support.
- The Farm Bill locks in a $187 billion cut to SNAP benefits through 2034, following a previous bill that removed benefits from four million people.
- Rotisserie chickens typically retail for $5 to $9, with some stores selling them as discounted loss-leaders.
What Happened
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $390 billion Farm Bill package. Included in the bill is an amendment, based on the bipartisan Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, that would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chickens. This amendment cleared the House with a vote of 384 to 35, indicating broad bipartisan support for the specific policy change. The overall Farm Bill passed on a more partisan vote of 224-200. The legislation also locks in a $187 billion cut to SNAP benefits through the year 2034.
Why this Matters to You
If you or someone you know relies on SNAP benefits, this change could provide more flexibility and convenience in purchasing food. For the 79% of SNAP households that include an elderly individual, a child, or a person with a disability, access to a ready-to-eat, affordable protein source like a rotisserie chicken could simplify meal preparation. However, this new option comes alongside significant, long-term reductions in overall SNAP funding, which may limit the practical benefit for many recipients.
What's Next
The Farm Bill package now moves to the Senate for consideration. Senators from both parties, including Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), have previously shown support for the rotisserie chicken provision through their introduction of the standalone Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act. The Senate will need to reconcile its version of the Farm Bill with the House-passed package, which could lead to further negotiations over both the SNAP benefit cuts and the prepared food allowance.