U.S. House of Representatives Passes 2026 Farm Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Agriculture, Food and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) by a vote of 224 to 200 on April 30, the first new five-year farm bill passed by the U.S. Congress since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. The bill was introduced on February 13 and passed by the House Agriculture Committee on March 5, 34 to 17.

The bill extends the authorization of related projects of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fiscal year 2031, covering areas such as commodity support, crop insurance, conservation, agricultural credit, rural development, research and extension, trade promotion, forestry, energy, horticulture, livestock and foreign-owned agricultural land. A score released by the Congressional Budget Office on April 24 shows that the bill would increase mandatory spending by $0.162 billion in fiscal years 2026-2031 and remain largely budget-neutral over the 11-year cycle.

The U.S. agricultural community generally welcomed the passage of the bill, believing that it provided policy certainty for farmers facing rising input costs and low agricultural prices. The controversy focuses on two aspects: first, the "annual sales of E15(15% ethanol gasoline)" clause originally proposed to be included was eliminated before the final vote, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives promised to arrange a separate vote on the matter within two weeks; Second, the amendment proposed by some members involving pesticide inputs has aroused concern in cotton and other industries.

The next bill moves to the Senate. The Senate Agriculture Committee has not yet started its deliberation, and the extension arrangement of the current Agriculture Bill will expire at the end of fiscal year 2026, with some projects facing the risk of authorization interruption. In addition, the outdated legal provisions known as the "permanent law" will resume application to some commodities (dairy products take the lead) from January 1, 2027. If the new law is not implemented in time, it may push up relevant fiscal expenditures.

Source: U.S. Congressional H.R. 7567 Legislative Record; Congressional Research Service (CRS); Press release from the Office of Senator Hyde-Smith, April 2026.