Farm Bill Would Deliver Cruelty
As a minister and a rabbi, we write to decry the 2026 House Farm Bill that was sent to the Senate in late May. The bill, as written, is cruel and will increase suffering.
It threatens to push even more farmers out of business while eliminating democratically enacted bans on some of agriculture’s cruelest practices. The Farm Bill, which the Senate is expected to take up in July or August, amounts to a striking rejection of fundamental American moral values.
Every major world religion teaches that we must share our bounty to feed the hungry. Such values are ingrained in the American character: that we care for neighbors, feed hungry children, and measure society by how it treats its most vulnerable. This Farm Bill—officially the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026—fails completely on this front.
Let’s begin with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is slated to receive the largest cuts to federal food assistance in American history—$187 billion over ten years, at a time of skyrocketing food costs, economic stagnation, and global economic uncertainty.
The Farm Bill also cements a shift of billions in SNAP costs from the federal to state budgets. This, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will push some states to restrict eligibility or “possibly leave the program altogether.” In all, catastrophe: The bill cuts the equivalent of nine billion meals per year.
The Farm Bill codifies tightened eligibility requirements for those least able to recover from losing SNAP. Veterans carrying invisible trauma from war. Young people who’ve aged out of foster care with no family safety nets. People who lack safe or stable housing.
The bill also fails the farmers who feed us. America’s tradition of supporting its farmers is grounded in awareness that farming is not optional, but society’s bedrock. But federal policy benefits large industrial operations while leaving many independent farmers facing financial disaster.
In 2025, farmer bankruptcies mushroomed 46 percent from the previous year. Few farmers anticipated that a 2026 war in the Middle East would cause a massive spike in fuel and fertilizer prices. Without intervention, many more independent farmers may go bankrupt this year.
Farmers who’ve invested in higher-welfare animal housing have been visiting Senators’ offices to protest provisions that further threaten their survival. Section 12006 would undo state bans on one of the cruelest practices in agriculture: confining mother pigs in gestation crates, so cramped that they cannot turn around, for months on end.
The first states prohibiting the practice were conservative Florida and Arizona. In California and Massachusetts ballot initiatives, the most direct form of democracy available to Americans, voters supported the ban with decisive majorities of 63 percent and 78 percent.
Despite the conservative Supreme Court upholding California’s ban, the pork industry remains determined to obstruct Americans from exercising our informed ethical judgment to curb cruelty. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Indigenous communities all teach that living beings deserve compassion and protection from needless harm. Americans see causing extreme suffering for the sake of profit as a moral failure.
This cruel bill would knowingly cause suffering to some of our nation’s most vulnerable people, to farmers and their families, and to animals whose welfare hinges on democratic accountability. This unnecessary suffering can be enacted or repudiated.
Americans would be proud of a Farm Bill that aims to keep children and elders from going to bed hungry. That ensures hardworking farming families can weather economic storms caused by a war not of their making. That shifts resources away from expanding the largest industrial animal factories toward more sustainable crop production and higher-welfare animal farming.
That respects state and local democratic self-governance.
Objectives like these belong in the Farm Bill. But basic decency demands that a Farm Bill at least not be cruel. We will see whether this Congress clears that lowest of bars. And we will not be the only ones watching.
This column was produced for Progressive Perspectives, a project of The Progressive magazine, and distributed by Tribune News Service.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
