There is finally light at the end of the tunnel after weeks of disruptions caused by the record-setting 43-day government shutdown and ongoing disputes in Congress over a continuing resolution package. On Nov. 12, lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives voted 222 to 209 to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government through Jan. 30, 2026, and it was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump that evening. The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, also includes a minibus spending package containing three full-year appropriation bills for the USDA and FDA, the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects, and congressional operations.
Within the agriculture appropriation bill – referred to as the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, – is a one-year extension to the 2018 Farm Bill for programs not included in the One Big Beautiful Bill that passed in July. It also suspends permanent law – the Depression-era statutes – that could have disrupted markets and triggered mandatory price supports for certain commodities. Additionally, it includes an extension of the U.S. Grain Standards Act, preventing interruptions to official grain inspection and weighing service.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, provides $26.65 billion in funding, most of which is allocated for USDA programs. Among the many provisions, the bill includes funding for:
- Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loans and funding to prevent office closures
- Addressing emerging pests and diseases, including the HPAI outbreak
- Conservation programs
- Food safety inspections
- Enhancing rural broadband
- Improving the tracking system of foreign land ownership
- Nutrition assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC
Sen. John Boozman (R-Arkansas), the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, issued a statement praising the bill’s passage in the Senate on Nov. 10, 2025.
“Ending the government shutdown ensures critical USDA services resume so vulnerable families no longer experience disruption to nutrition benefits, farmers can access the programs and personnel they rely on to keep their operations running efficiently and disaster assistance is delivered,” Boozman said. “We advanced long-overdue farm bill policy improvements in the One Big Beautiful Bill, including enhanced risk management tools farmers have been calling for, and we’re continuing to work to reauthorize other key initiatives. Extending the farm bill and the U.S. Grain Standards Act gives us more time to finalize these programs essential to farmers, ranchers and rural America.”
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) also applauded the passage of the legislative package that would reopen the government, fund the USDA and FDA through fiscal year 2026, and extend many farm bill programs through Sept. 30, 2026.
“[The] vote to reopen the federal government brings much-needed certainty to our nation’s food system – supporting farmers, food manufacturers and the millions of families who rely on federal nutrition programs to access nutritious dairy products,” said Michael Dykes, DVM, IDFA president and CEO. “IDFA applauds Congress for funding USDA and FDA through fiscal year 2026, which will help the dairy industry to continue to bring wholesome, nutritious dairy products from American dairy farmers to more Americans of all ages and help us meet our commitments to make America healthy again. This funding includes 4 million dollars for USDA’s SNAP Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive (HFMI) Projects, which help tens of thousands of SNAP families purchase milk every month.”
