The farm bill, an omnibus, multiyear law, is the primary piece of legislation governing agricultural and food programs. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334) is the most recent farm bill. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) would add, amend, and reauthorize some 2018 farm bill programs. The Senate Agriculture Committee chairman released a discussion draft (“the Senate bill”) of the Agriculture Act of 2026 on June 23, 2026. This report provides an overview of H.R. 7567 and the Senate bill and compares them with current law. H.R. 7567 and the Senate bill would reauthorize and amend food and agricultural policies in various ways, with certain differences; examples follow. Title I of H.R. 7567 would restore tobacco eligibility for Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding; the Senate bill would amend and add reporting requirements of CCC expenditures and activities. Title II of both bills includes reauthorizations, amendments, and new programs to incentivize farmers and ranchers to voluntarily implement resource-conserving practices on private land. H.R. 7567 would direct programs to specific resource concerns and production methods. The Senate bill has changes to disaster and watershed programs and guidelines for conservation practice standards. Title III of both would reauthorize and amend international food assistance and export programs. H.R. 7567 would move U.S. Agency for International Development responsibilities under the Food for Peace Act, as amended, to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), such as administration of Food for Peace Title II grants. Title IV of both would generally extend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition programs through September 30, 2031. Both bills’ nutrition titles include many of the same policies with some substantive differences, but certain provisions are in only H.R. 7567 or the Senate bill. For example, H.R. 7567 would amend SNAP’s statutory purpose to reflect health objectives, allowing SNAP recipients to buy hot rotisserie chicken and creating an option for fresh food access in The Emergency Food Assistance Program. The Senate bill would require tribal input and supply chain response in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and Commodity Supplemental Food Program and stricter authorization rules for certain SNAP retailer types. Title V of both would increase maximum loan amounts for individual farmers and ranchers borrowing from USDA. Both bills would add farm loan eligibility to commercial fishing entities. H.R. 7567 would allow farm ownership and farm operating loans and include fish processing facilities; the Senate bill would allow farm operating loans and exclude fish processing. Title VI of both would expand the health care institution types eligible to refinance debt using Rural Development loans in certain circumstances. H.R. 7567 would expand the Circuit Rider Program to provide rural water and wastewater systems with disaster recovery assistance. Title VII of both would reauthorize USDA research, extension, education, veterinary, and land-grant institution authorities through FY2031. H.R. 7567 would generally make broader changes, such as repealing several existing authorities and creating new programs. The Senate bill would generally retain existing authorities, authorize higher funding levels for certain programs, and establish fewer new initiatives. Title VIII of both includes provisions about forestry research, federal forest management, and financial and technical assistance to nonfederal forestland owners. Among other differences, H.R. 7567 has a subtitle about giant sequoia protection. Title IX of H.R. 7567 would reauthorize most 2018 farm bill energy title programs and repeal two; the Senate bill would reauthorize all such programs. H.R. 7567 would add solar energy-related sections. Title X of both would reauthorize USDA to issue block grants to states through FY2031 to enhance specialty crop competitiveness. H.R. 7567 would amend the domestic hemp production program to reflect changes to the hemp statutory definition in P.L. 119-37. Title XI of both would modify the veteran farmers and ranchers definition in the Federal Crop Insurance Program and increase premium subsidies for these individuals. Title XI of the bills would make different changes to final agency determinations, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation board composition, and research and development priority areas. Title XII of H.R. 7567 would restrict a state from enacting and enforcing production standards on livestock products produced out of state and amend authorities of the Office of Tribal Relations and National Appeals Division. The Senate bill would establish a crop input economist and direct USDA to report on fertilizer production and use.
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