The House of Representatives passed the 2026 Farm Bill on April 30, advancing sweeping agricultural reform.
Lawmakers approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) by a 224–200 vote. The bill cleared the House Agriculture Committee in March with bipartisan backing before reaching the full floor.
Before the final vote, lawmakers stripped a controversial pesticide labeling provision that counties had flagged as burdensome. Additionally, they adopted an amendment allowing SNAP recipients to purchase rotisserie chicken for the first time.
Thompson Celebrates the 2026 Farm Bill Victory
House Agriculture Committee Chair Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-15) praised the bill’s passage in a formal statement.
“Working in Congress on behalf of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities is an honor,” Thompson said.
He called the vote a significant step toward getting farm country back on track after a long policy delay.
“An updated farm bill that meets the current needs of our farmers and ranchers is long overdue,” Thompson added.
What the 2026 Farm Bill Covers
This legislation serves as a five-year reauthorization of federal agricultural and food policy, extending programs through 2031.
The bill is designed to address a multi-year gap in agricultural policy following the expiration and subsequent extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill. It builds upon earlier legislative efforts, such as the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, to provide a comprehensive safety net for producers.
Main Components of H.R. 7567
1. Commodity Support and Risk Management
- Safety Net Enhancements: Increase reference prices for major commodities to reflect rising input costs and inflation.
- Crop Insurance: Expands access to and affordability of crop insurance, specifically targeting specialty crop producers who have historically been underserved.
- Loan Limits: Modernizes Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan limits for guaranteed and direct operating loans to better reflect current farming scales.
2. Nutrition and SNAP Reform
- SNAP Funding: The bill includes significant reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Republicans frame these as “integrity measures” to correct pandemic-era overruns, while critics argue they will result in substantial cuts (some estimate $187 billion over a decade).
- Healthy Foods: Prioritizes the purchase of domestic fruits and vegetables and includes a new provision allowing the purchase of hot rotisserie chicken with SNAP benefits.
- EBT Cybersecurity: Establishes new regulations to increase the security of SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards against fraud.
3. Conservation and Climate
- Voluntary Incentives: Reaffirms a commitment to voluntary, incentive-based conservation rather than mandatory regulations.
- Forestry: Establishes the Forest Conservation Easement Program (FCEP) to replace the Healthy Forests Reserve Program and includes the “Save Our Sequoias” initiative to protect giant sequoias from wildfires.
- Soil Health: Provides financial assistance and matching grants to States and Tribes implementing soil health programs.
4. Rural Development and Infrastructure
- Broadband: Codifies and integrates the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program, raising minimum eligibility speeds to 50/25 Mbps to ensure rural areas aren’t left behind.
- Rural Health: Prioritizes funding for rural health facilities, telehealth, and maternal health services.
- Mental Health: Includes the FARMERS Amendment, which directs a formal study on mental health service availability for agricultural professionals.
5. Trade and National Security
- Market Access: Doubles down on funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program to combat the agricultural trade deficit.
- International Aid: Reorients international food aid (Food for Peace) toward commodity-based, in-kind assistance produced by American farmers.
- Domestic Sourcing: Prohibits school food authorities from purchasing poultry or seafood imported from China or Russia.
Key Floor Amendments & Status
- Pesticide Liability: In a notable floor fight, 19 Republicans joined Democrats to strip a provision that would have shielded pesticide manufacturers (like Bayer) from certain lawsuits related to health harms.
- California’s Prop 12: The bill contains provisions intended to preempt state-level laws that dictate agricultural standards for out-of-state producers, a direct response to California’s animal welfare regulations.
Related Article: USDA Reshapes Food Safety Agency, Moves Operations to Iowa
Senate Road Ahead Remains Rocky
The 2026 Farm Bill now moves to the Senate, where several hurdles threaten timely passage.
Slim Senate margins, partisan disagreements, and 2026 midterm pressures all complicate the legislative path forward. Analysts also warn that midterm election cycles typically slow legislative momentum during the summer months.
Moreover, the 2018 Farm Bill expires on September 30, 2026, tightening the window for a Senate deal.
The Senate has not yet released bill text or scheduled a committee markup session.
NGA Backs Grocers’ Wins in 2026 Farm Bill
The National Grocers Association (NGA) welcomed the bill’s passage, citing protections for independent grocers.
The legislation permanently bans EBT transaction fees, a relief for stores serving rural and low-income communities.
“Independent grocers operate on razor-thin margins, and transaction fees on SNAP purchases have threatened detrimental costs,” said Stephanie Johnson, NGA’s group vice president of government relations.
The bill also makes SNAP online purchasing permanent nationwide, giving retailers certainty to invest in technology.
Additionally, it strengthens the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program by expanding incentives to frozen produce.
“By advancing this Farm Bill, Congress has chosen a path that strengthens the program and expands access to nutritious options,” Johnson added.
NSAC Sees Promise but Warns of Shortfalls
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) offered a measured response to the House vote.
Policy Director Mike Lavender acknowledged the bill’s progress but flagged several concerning omissions.
“NSAC appreciates the House’s persistent pursuit of a new bill; a new farm bill, already more than two and a half years delayed, is desperately needed,” Lavender said.
However, he cited slashes to conservation funding and a lack of guaranteed investments in domestic markets as serious gaps.
Lavender warned that those shortcomings would especially harm small operations and beginning, young, and underserved farmers.
UFCW Slams Bill Over Worker and Consumer Gaps
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) sharply criticized the bill’s passage.
UFCW President Milton Jones said the legislation solidified SNAP cuts and failed food workers on multiple fronts.
“Not a single provision in this Farm Bill will improve standards or safety for food workers,” Jones said.
The union represents 1.2 million workers and pushed Congress to consider the Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act instead.
Jones also slammed the bill’s silence on food affordability amid high grocery prices and supply chain upheaval.
NASDA Applauds Bipartisan Progress
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) celebrated the bill’s passage with enthusiasm.
CEO Ted McKinney congratulated Chairman Thompson and the House Agriculture Committee for the bipartisan achievement.
“This legislation supports farmers, ranchers, and consumers and provides economic growth for rural communities,” McKinney said.
H.R. 7567 prioritizes local food purchasing programs, international market access, and the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
NASDA now turns its focus to the Senate Agriculture Committee to build momentum toward a final, signed bill.
Industry Watches the Senate’s Next Move
For food and beverage industry stakeholders, the 2026 Farm Bill’s Senate journey will prove equally consequential.
SNAP modernization, EBT fraud protections, and nutrition program investments all hinge on upcoming Senate negotiations.
As the September deadline approaches, pressure mounts on lawmakers to deliver a finalized bill before the current one expires.