Agriculture groups applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 this morning with a vote of 224-200. The legislation would expand dairy nutrition incentives in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and strengthen key dairy programs. Next, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will develop their version of the bill for consideration on the Senate floor.
“At a time where farmers face unprecedented challenges, Congress needs to provide the stability of a five-year, comprehensive farm bill,” National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement. “The House-passed 2026 Farm Bill supports the farm safety net, preserves existing conservation programs that include opportunities for dairy and livestock producers, bolsters trade promotion programs while protecting common food names, recognizes the important role of dairy in nutrition and supports animal health programs. All of these are important priorities to dairy farmers and the broader industry, and we appreciate the leadership shown by House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and other dairy champions to get this legislation through the House.”
The farm bill includes the Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields (SAFETY) Act, which would establish permanent policy protecting American producers’ ability to use common food names in international markets. For example, the SAFETY Act would direct the USDA to work with the U.S. trade representative to prioritize protection of commonly used terms like Parmesan, feta and Asiago in international trade negotiations.
“Today’s vote sends a powerful message: The United States Congress not only supports the administration’s ongoing efforts to protect common names but is also committed to fighting back in a sustained manner against the European Union’s efforts to weaponize geographical indication policies and shut American producers out of global markets,” the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) Executive Director Jaime Castaneda said in a statement.
In addition to expanding dairy nutrition incentives, the bill includes several other dairy priorities, including permanent authorization of mandatory cost surveys to ensure Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) make allowances reflect current manufacturing costs, improvements to the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives program to codify no less than four locations and permanent authorization of the Dairy Forward Pricing Program.
While most agriculture organizations were pleased about the contents of the bill, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew noted some shortcomings. In a statement, he said that although today’s vote is the largest step in eight years toward delivering a new farm bill, the bill largely continues existing farm safety net programs that do not match the scale of the current economic crisis family farmers are facing.
“It also maintains cuts to the nutrition safety net at a time when too many American families are struggling to make ends meet. Other missed opportunities include authorizing year-round E15, restoring mandatory country-of-origin labeling, addressing rising input costs, protecting farmers and ranchers from the threat of market concentration and expanding domestic market opportunities for U.S. producers. Farm bill policy must evolve to meet the realities of today’s economy, and while this bill provides some needed certainty, it does not fully address what is at stake,” Larew said.
The bill received good bipartisan support, with over 96% of Republicans along with 14 Democrats voting in favor. This marks the highest number of votes from a minority party on a House farm bill since 2008 and the highest level of Republican support for a House bill in history.
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) said in a statement that he can think of no more important work than championing this bill and is pleased to see it pass out of the House with a strong bipartisan vote. He looks forward to seeing Chairman John Boozman and the Senate continue to make progress on this legislation.
Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and fellow democrats on the committee, released a statement saying they look forward to working with Senate Republicans on a bipartisan farm bill that can be successful on the Senate floor.
“With a five-year high in small farm bankruptcies, the farm bill must address rising input costs, provide new opportunities for domestic markets and fight for a trade agenda that works for everyone. Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring all states are treated equally by delaying the new SNAP cost shifts and addressing the needs of farm country,” Klobuchar said.
