The U.S. House has a new, five-year Farm Bill to consider after it advanced out of the House’s Committee on Agriculture this week. The bill focuses on strengthening farm safety nets, expanding disaster assistance, supporting rural economies and viewing American agriculture through a national security lens.
Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania, said the committee deliberated for over 20 hours during a two-day markup session.
"Throughout this markup, it became clearer than ever before that our country needs a new farm bill, and we don’t need it next year, or next Congress. We need it now,” Thompson wrote in a statement. “I look forward to working in good faith with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we move toward a final vote on the House floor."
At over 800 pages, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is the most substantial farm legislation since 2018. While the last Farm Bill was intended to expire in 2023, one-year extensions kept 2018’s version as the country’s main farm legislation. Some farm and food legislation was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
Several Nebraska farming groups have put the heat on Congress to seriously revisit the 2018 Farm Bill and have called the Band-Aid extensions on the legislation out-of-date with current farm operations and profit lines.
Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon celebrated the new bill proposal, writing in a statement that it included all six of his major priorities.
“We are strengthening oversight of foreign purchases of American farmland, enhancing agricultural cybersecurity, helping beginning farmers compete for land, supporting [Future Farmers of America] and 4-H students, and improving SNAP administration so benefits are delivered efficiently and responsibly,” Bacon said. “Agriculture is economic security and national security, and this legislation equips producers with the tools they need to succeed.”
Additionally, Bacon said in-person and online gambling on animal fighting would be outlawed under the bill, citing concerns of animal abuse and ties to organized crime.
Other Farm Bill initiatives include:
- Expanding disaster assistance for trees and specialty crops
- Funding conservation programs to support sustainable precision agriculture technology, soil health and climate change-resilient practices
- Requiring a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Homeland Security about national security risks and that could arise from foreign-owned farmland
- Extending multiple USDA research initiatives and grant programs
- Offering Farm Service Agency loan refinancing to provide more direct payments
- Repealing minimum requirements for food aid to other countries and requiring no less than 50% of food aid be grown in the U.S.
- Rural development programs addressing health care, water quality, broadband connectivity, business development and more
- Creating a task force to identify trade barriers and violations against American agriculture
- Other policies aiming to strengthen supply chains and international competitiveness
The bill passed out of committee with a 34-17 vote, garnering the support of seven Democrats.
In a closing committee statement, Ranking Member Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota spoke on behalf of Democrats concerned that the Farm Bill would not meet the needs of the country’s farmers.
“Have we made some bipartisan improvements to the bill during the amendment process, sure,” Craig said. “But despite that, this remains a lackluster, disappointing farm bill that does not meet the moment. This bill does not lower input costs or stabilize our export markets. It does not help make food more affordable while prices surge under Trump’s backward economic policies. And it is going to have challenges getting broad bipartisan support on the floor.”
Though some House ag committee Democrats attempted to restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for Americans who lost them under the OBBBA, no provisions were included to reverse the changes. Many refugees are no longer eligible, and work, study, volunteer or job training requirements will be required under the program – with exceptions made for those under 18 and over 59, individuals with disabilities and caregivers of dependents age 14 or under.
Democrats raised further concerns about lax pesticide health warning label requirements and consequences of trade war tariffs.
Nebraska Appleseed also released a statement Thursday expressing disappointment with the upheld SNAP restrictions. Food and Nutrition Access program manager Eric Saviano said 10,000 Nebraskans have lost benefits since the OBBBA passed.
“We need a Farm Bill that matches Nebraska’s values – a Farm Bill that gets food to the people who need it most.” Saviano wrote. “We need a Farm Bill that restores the loss in SNAP assistance for thousands of Nebraska.”
Additionally, Saviano said a provision was left out that would reverse a lifetime SNAP ban for felony drug offenders in states like Nebraska.
The 2026 Farm Bill will now be debated in the House. If passed, it will move to the Senate for more debate and a vote.