U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson released the text of Farm Bill 2.0– the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the House Agriculture Committee release of its version of the farm bill.
“Farmers appreciate Chairman G.T. Thompson and the House Agriculture Committee for their work in drafting a new, modernized farm bill. The legislation is needed more than ever as America’s farmers and ranchers struggle through the worst economic storm in generations.
“We’re still reviewing the text of the bill, but it includes important updates to credit, conservation, research, and rural development programs, and calls for expansion of specialty crop programs. The bill also preserves interstate commerce to enable farmers to remain competitive in the evolving marketplace.
“We urge the House Agriculture Committee to work in a bipartisan manner to find consensus and move the bill forward. Additionally, in light of the ongoing economic conditions plaguing rural America, Farm Bureau will continue to work with congressional leaders on our top priorities including additional funding for bridge assistance payments, year-round E15 and a solution to our agricultural labor crisis.”
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) welcomes the provisions that strengthen the agriculture measures included in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBB).
“We appreciate Chairman Thompson’s leadership and diligent work to provide legislative answers to the ongoing needs of cattle producers,” said NCBA President and Virginia cattle producer Gene Copenhaver. “Chairman Thompson’s bill includes important provisions to streamline voluntary conservation programs, protect grazing as a land management tool, address the critical shortage of rural veterinarians, and establish an important pilot program to safely explore better options for direct-to-consumer sales of locally raised beef. We thank Chairman Thompson and members of the House Agriculture Committee for their dedicated work during this Farm Bill cycle.”
Farm Bill 2.0 significantly builds on the accomplishments secured by the beef industry in the OBBB that included expanded access to drought relief, depredation reimbursement, funding to protect the U.S. cattle herd from foreign animal diseases, and an increased estate tax exemption. These new provisions included in Farm Bill 2.0 will help ensure the success of cattle producers by:
- Improving the implementation of conservation programs
- Expanding access to credit and increasing outdated agricultural loan limits
- Amending veterinary grant programs to relieve ongoing rural veterinary shortages
- Clarifying animal disease traceability eligibility under the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP)
- Establishing a five-year pilot program to help expand custom-exempt processing facilities and increase consumer access to locally raised beef.
“This bill is the culmination of the years-long Farm Bill process that addresses the needs of cattle producers which weren’t included in the reconciliation bill last year,” said Ethan Lane, NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. “Cattlemen and women are already seeing the benefits of the historic achievements included in the reconciliation bill, and NCBA members look forward to building on that progress by passing Farm Bill 2.0. We strongly urge the House and Senate to swiftly pass this bill to fill the remaining legislative gaps facing animal agriculture.”
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew issued the following comments in response.
“Family farmers and ranchers are facing a significant economic crisis, and the next farm bill should reflect that reality. Regrettably, the bill that will be considered by the agriculture committee next week fails to match the magnitude of the challenges in front of us.
“Trade disruptions, rising input costs, depressed commodity markets and corporate consolidation are squeezing family farmers from every direction. We need immediate relief, but we also need long-term structural reform to farm policy that will restore financial viability for our farms and ranches.
“The bill takes several encouraging steps that NFU supports. The legislation revives the model of the recently cancelled Local Food Procurement Agreement program by authorizing state-led local food purchasing programs for the first time. It includes Farmers Union–backed credit improvements—such as higher Farm Service Agency loan limits and a pre-approval pilot—and authorizes local meat processing grants. It also preserves the Food for Peace program.
“But too much of the bill is heading in the wrong direction. The bill fails to address the ongoing damage caused by the administration’s tariff policies and continues to rely on ad hoc disaster assistance rather than establishing stronger farm policy tools. It also fails to reinstate mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef at a time when imports are on the rise and transparency is being demanded by farmers and consumers. And unfortunately, new authorizations for local food procurement, meat processing, and others that NFU supports are not funded.
“We also have concerns about provisions that would limit states’ ability to address questions of liability related to agricultural inputs — an issue many of our state organizations have raised. NFU believes these questions deserve careful consideration as the bill moves forward.
“Last summer’s reconciliation package separated key farm safety net improvements and made deep cuts to nutrition programs — two pillars that have traditionally been negotiated together as part of a comprehensive farm bill. Splitting these from the rest of the farm bill weakened the bipartisan coalition that typically accompanies the legislation. This markup is the first farm bill after that split, and it shows.
“This isn’t the farm bill we want, and it’s not the farm bill we need. While we appreciate the continued effort to advance a farm bill, lawmakers are failing to seize the opportunity to deliver bold, comprehensive reforms that will truly support America’s family farmers and ranchers.”
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