On April 30, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) in a vote of 224-200. This marks the first time a Farm Bill has advanced out of a congressional chamber since 2018. The bill would extend, through 2031, policy governing crop subsidies, nutrition assistance, rural development, and conservation programs, and carries a CBO-estimated price tag of $15.8 billion over 2026-2031.
In the highest-profile vote of the morning, an amendment by Representative Anna Paulina Luna, (R-FL) struck three provisions that would have preempted state pesticide labeling laws and shielded manufacturers from certain tort liability. The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) coalition prevailed despite fierce pushback from House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-PA) and House GOP leadership. In another compromise, while some members had hoped to attach year-round E15 sales authority to the Farm Bill, that provision was decoupled from the Farm Bill, and a standalone vote is expected when the House returns in May. Other amendments covered a wide range of issues, including forest management and wildfire mitigation, conservation programs, timber production loan guarantees, Giant Sequoia protections, and cattle EID ear-tag repeal.
While this is a step forward, the bill still faces a long road ahead. The Senate has yet to introduce its own Farm Bill proposal, and it remains to be seen whether the upper chamber will produce a more bipartisan version, given the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
For more information, contact Mary-Ann Warmerdam, RCRC Senior Vice President, Government Affairs.