Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) continues to work with members of that committee on the Senate version of the Farm bill in hopes of taking up and approving the measure prior to the Congressional August recess. The timing means the markup would take place between July 13 and Aug. 7, according to the Senate legislative calendar. The House passed its version last month.
On April 30 the House finally passed a farm bill by a 224-200 vote. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act, includes several key provisions for conservation aimed at supporting private land stewardship and enhancing wildlife habitat.
The House Rules Committee appears ready to meet the week of April 27 to finalize plans for consideration of the farm bill, aligning with Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s push to bring the legislation to the House floor this month. Thompson has given Representatives the opportunity to submit amendments to the committee passed bill until noon on Wednesday, April 22. The schedule remains fluid as lawmakers prioritizes completing action on funding the partially shut down Department of Homeland Security and discuss a second reconciliation bill. Lawmakers in the chamber will return to their districts for a week-long recess during the first week of May.
The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up a farm bill of its own in the coming months. Senate Ag Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) noted that the timing depends in part on how debate on the House version proceeds, as reported by Agri-Pulse. Regarding the possibility of passing a partial farm bill this year following the House Ag Committee's approval of a measure earlier this month, Boozman stated he does not intend to wait for the full House to act. Instead, the goal is to move a Senate version “as soon as possible—weeks, not months and months.”
The House Agriculture Committee on March 5 approved a new five-year reauthorization of the farm bill that would extend many of the major U.S. Department of Agriculture programs through 2031. The Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 (HR 7567) passed by a margin of 34 to 17, with all Republicans and seven Democrats voting in favor of the bill. The bill, which is often being referred to as Farm Bill 2.0, would replace the 2018 farm bill that expired in 2023 but has been temporarily extended many times since then. The measure is now headed to the House floor although it remains to be seen whether the bipartisan support is enough to convince GOP leaders to put the measure on the floor.
Looking ahead to other action on Capitol Hill, Agri-pulse reports that House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., has said he wants to move a farm bill this month to reauthorize key programs not included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last July. The piecemeal approach follows lawmakers failing once again last year to clear a full, five-year ag measure. The last time that happened was 2018, and the partisan divide since then has only widened.
A “skinny” farm bill is being considered to complete action on parts of the traditional Farm Bill that have not yet been addressed. The pared-down version of the traditional five-year farm bill, designed to address only the most urgent or unfinished agricultural priorities could be brought up this year. A skinny farm bill would include issues that were not covered in recent legislation including the budget reconciliation legislation, aka “One Big Beautiful Bill”, passed earlier this year.
Agri Pulse reports that a federal judge on Thursday upheld the constitutionality of the farm bill’s Swampbuster provision, which puts producers at risk of losing access to farm program benefits if caught destroying protected wetlands. U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams of Iowa’s Northern District wrote in an opinion that Congress has the power to place conditions on federal funding given to farmers.
America Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall told a Senate Committee this week that America’s farmers and ranchers need a new, modernized farm bill, a strengthened farm safety net, and open trading market.
Industry groups are lining up to give their support for congressional action on the farm bill. Here is what the Farm Bureau messaged to Congress this week.