What is the Farm, Food and Security Act of 2026?

The first Farm Bill was a product of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. In 1933, Congress passed the first Farm Bill, the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal in response to the economic devastation. Since then, Congress has typically reauthorized the Farm Bill approximately every five years to provide farmers and ranchers with consistent federal support that adapts to changing agricultural and economic conditions.

What does it do?

The Farm Bill primarily establishes programs that provide financial assistance, risk management tools, and price support systems for agricultural producers. The legislation is organized into twelve separate titles, each addressing a different area of agricultural policy. Committees in the House and Senate evaluate current market conditions, production practices, and economic trends when drafting these provisions to ensure the programs remain effective and sustainable for farmers and ranchers.

The twelve titles are:

Commodities

Conservation

Trade

Nutrition

Credit

Rural Development

Research, Extension and Related Matters

Forestry

Energy

Horticulture

Crop Insurance

Miscellaneous

The Farm Bill Today

The most recent comprehensive Farm Bill was passed in 2018, which meant Congress was expected to reauthorize the legislation in 2023. However, Congress was unable to pass a new Farm Bill before the deadline.

In July 2025, the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture incorporated several Farm Bill-related funding provisions into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, informally referred to by some as the “skinny Farm Bill.” While this measure addressed certain funding priorities, it did not replace a full reauthorization of the Farm Bill, leaving significant policy work to be completed.

Food, Farm and Security Act of 2026

Most recently, the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture advanced a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing the remaining Farm Bill-related issues. In drafting the legislation, the Committee sought to balance priorities from both sides of the aisle while responding to several of the most pressing challenges facing modern agriculture.

Among other provisions, the bill addresses the impact of California’s Proposition 12 on interstate pork production. The proposed legislation would effectively nullify the state law’s application to out-of-state producers, allowing farmers and ranchers greater freedom in determining their production practices without being subject to the regulatory standards of another state.

While the bill attempts to address a number of significant agricultural concerns, it still faces a lengthy legislative process before becoming law.

Next Steps

As of April 30th, 2026, the FFSA has passed on the House floor, and at the same time, the Senate Committee on Agriculture is expected to introduce and mark up its own version of the Farm Bill. If both chambers pass their respective bills, lawmakers will then enter the conference process to reconcile the differences and agree on a final version of the legislation. That unified bill would then be sent to the President for signature into law.



For the agricultural industry, the financial adjustments included in the committee’s proposal are particularly important, as many farmers and ranchers are facing increased input costs, market uncertainty, and ongoing economic pressure.

Sources:

“House Farm Bill Advances with Bipartisan Support, 34-17 Vote.” Farm Progress, 5 Mar. 2026, www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/house-farm-bill-advances-with-bipartisan-support-34-17-vote?utm_rid=CPG02000193034863&utm_campaign=105688&utm_medium=email&elq2=c58d6a9a3c3b4722b4dc3148b53ff45f&sp_eh=c3e2d8144d1a75849e5810f5a99d192625ff8916a934f926f9b862344210d571. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

USDA. “Farm Bill.” Usda.gov, 11 Dec. 2024, www.usda.gov/farming-and-ranching/farm-bill.