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Winter/Spring 2026 – Legislative Update

On Friday, February 13, 2026, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15) introduced the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (FFNSA).

More than seven years have passed since enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, and producers across the country continue to navigate economic pressures, market volatility, and evolving federal program structures. Recent years have also brought shifts in federal partnerships, trade policy adjustments, and administrative changes within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The legislation spans commodities, conservation, nutrition, credit, rural development, research, energy, horticulture, crop insurance, and miscellaneous provisions. Below is a high-level summary of select provisions.

Title I – Commodities

Although several major commodity programs were previously addressed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB, P.L. 119-21), FFNSA includes updates related to specialty crop support and disaster relief.

Section 1003 establishes a permanent framework for emergency assistance tailored to specialty crop producers facing adverse events such as market disruptions or economic crises. Payments would be calculated based on prior-year sales, creating a standardized mechanism for distributing aid in future emergencies.

The bill also authorizes USDA to administer future disaster programs through state block grants (Section 1004). State administration may allow for more tailored responses to localized disasters, though implementation timelines and consistency across states will likely shape how effectively assistance reaches producers.

While disaster programs provide important relief during extraordinary events, long-term farm viability will continue to depend on the broader structure and accessibility of risk management tools.

Title II – Conservation

The conservation title includes several policy updates affecting major working lands programs.

FFNSA codifies a minimum Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) payment of $4,000 (Section 2301), establishing a guaranteed baseline level of support for participating producers. The bill also reauthorizes five-year payment limits for CSP and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), updating limits to $200,000 and $450,000 respectively.

The legislation increases support for precision agriculture technologies within EQIP and CSP. These tools may offer efficiency and resource management benefits for some operations, particularly larger or technologically equipped farms. At the same time, conservation funding remains competitive, and allocation decisions will influence participation rates across farm sizes and production systems.

FFNSA authorizes a new grant program supporting state and Tribal soil health initiatives (Section 2302), funded through CSP. Additionally, the bill adds greenhouse gas reduction to EQIP’s top priority practice authority, enabling states to provide enhanced cost share for practices that address climate-related objectives.

The bill also fully reauthorizes the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), including funding for the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), providing continued stability for this long-standing land retirement program.

Title IV – Nutrition

Drawing from bipartisan proposals, FFNSA authorizes a new food assistance initiative modeled in part on the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program. The program aims to strengthen local and regional markets by investing in states, Tribes, and territories and by supporting producers with food safety training and certification.

The bill authorizes $200 million in appropriations for the program. Future funding levels will depend on annual appropriations decisions.

Title V – Credit

FFNSA includes updates to USDA farm loan programs intended to improve access to capital. Provisions include:

  • Authorization for USDA to restructure guaranteed loan debt
  • Reduced experience requirements for certain loans
  • A pre-approval pilot for farm ownership loans
  • Expedited approval processes for loans under $1 million
  • Increased limits for direct operating, ownership, and microloans

The bill also shifts the burden of proof to USDA when appealing a loan denial.

Additionally, FFNSA would provide sole regulatory authority over the Farm Credit System (FCS) to the Farm Credit Administration, consolidating oversight responsibilities.

Title VI – Rural Development

The bill authorizes a New, Mobile, and Expanded Meat Processing and Rendering Grant Program (Section 6304) with $3 million in appropriations authorization. It also establishes the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program (Section 6303) to support investments in aggregation, processing, storage, and distribution infrastructure.

Longstanding rural business programs, including the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP), Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), Rural Business Development Grants, and Rural Cooperative Development Grants, are reauthorized. ATTRA’s scope is expanded to include tailored assistance for veterans.

Title VII – Research

FFNSA reauthorizes major agricultural research and extension programs, including the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), and the Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP). Authorization levels remain largely unchanged.

The bill increases authorization percentages for extension and research funding directed to 1890 land grant institutions and updates priority areas within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) to include regionally adapted cultivars and environmental resilience.

Research priorities in the bill emphasize precision agriculture, digital technologies, and automation, alongside other program areas.

Title IX – Energy

The bill directs USDA to study agrivoltaic systems—dual-use solar and agricultural production—to assess best practices and impacts on farmland. It also places certain limitations on USDA funding for solar projects on prime farmland and restricts funding for solar components sourced from designated foreign countries of concern.

Title X – Horticulture

FFNSA includes updates to the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), creating permanent turnkey grant opportunities and expanding eligible activities. The bill also strengthens the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production by expanding technical assistance and directing permanent implementation of urban county committees within the Farm Service Agency.

The legislation directs USDA to assess barriers to selling nontraditional, culturally relevant, and local products into federal nutrition programs and to make recommendations for improvement.

Elements related to organic transition are included, granting the National Organic Program authority to provide technical assistance, though without additional dedicated funding.

Title XI – Crop Insurance

FFNSA requires an annual review of challenges to accessing Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and updates eligibility definitions for additional crop insurance premium discounts established under OBBB. Veteran producers are included in expanded eligibility for premium discounts.

The bill also directs research into new insurance products, including weather-based index policies, and increases reimbursement rates for administrative and operating costs for Approved Insurance Providers.

Title XII – Miscellaneous

The bill includes provisions supporting small and very small meat processors, including development of model Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans and validation studies (Section 12112). It also includes outreach provisions related to the Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program and reporting requirements to Congress.

Additional provisions address ownership structures within livestock and meat processing markets.

Overall, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 proposes a broad set of policy updates across the food and agriculture system. Its ultimate impact will depend on funding decisions, implementation details, and how its provisions interact with broader economic and administrative conditions facing producers nationwide.

Alison Garber

Executive Support & Communications Manager

PCO Certified Organic


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