The 2026 Farm Bill is another step closer to completion this week after the Senate Agriculture Committee released draft text for their version of the bill, referred to as the Agricultural Act of 2026, on June 23. After the committee discusses the bill during the markup, it will move to the Senate floor for consideration.
“I’m proud to put forward this discussion draft that reflects the input and priorities of Republicans, Democrats and most importantly, rural America,” U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-Arkansas) said in a statement. “Congress delivered historic improvements to farm programs through the Working Families Tax Cuts, and we’re continuing to expand upon that success with bipartisan priorities that strengthen the American farm economy, increase investments for rural communities and foster a more resilient agricultural sector.”
Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats released a joint statement claiming the bill falls short of meeting the needs of both farmers and families across America.
“This bill does not address the devastating cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or the shift to state taxpayers passed into law as part of HR1 [also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)]. We appreciate that bipartisan provisions have been included in the discussion draft and stand ready to work with Republicans to negotiate a bipartisan farm bill that both meets the moment and can be successful on the Senate floor,” they said.
Dairy highlights include:
- Establishing a long-term policy directive for the U.S. government to proactively negotiate protections for common cheese names like Parmesan and feta
- Establishing the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program and allowing additional milk, yogurt and cheese products to be eligible
- Clarifying that whole milk may be served in the school breakfast program
- Authorizing mandatory cost and yield surveys to ensure future changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO) reflect the most current market conditions, building off funding in the OBBBA
- Extending the Dairy Indemnity Program and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program and making the Dairy Forward Pricing Program permanent
- Reassigning export promotion funding initially included in the OBBBA into existing farm bill programs like the Market Access Program to make it easier to use by USDA’s international promotion partners, including the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC)
- Expanding opportunities for animal health programs to receive additional funding through annual appropriations
- Increasing the authorization of funding for Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives that support the development, production, marketing and distribution of dairy products
Dairy and agriculture industry organizations thanked Boozman, the committee and staff for their work in putting together a bill that will bring greater certainty to producers.
“Dairy farmers look forward to working with senators to get this legislation passed and into conference with the already passed House bill, where lawmakers can craft the best legislation possible,” National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement.
Krysta Harden, USDEC president and CEO, said that the proposal would provide much-needed assurances for U.S. dairy exporters.
“The legislation features important protections for our right to use common cheese names, like Parmesan and feta, in export markets and redesignation of critical export promotion investments to existing farm bill programs,” Harden said in a statement.
Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) Executive Director Jaime Castaneda agreed that the right to use common cheese names is an important part of this proposal, and thanked Chairman Boozman for including the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act that complements the administration’s ongoing work to preserve common name access in perpetuity.
“U.S. farmers, ranchers and food manufacturers face an ever-increasing threat to their right to use common food and beverage terms like Parmesan, bologna and chateau in export markets,” Castaneda said in a statement. “We appreciate Majority Leader Thune and Senators Baldwin, Marshall and Smith for their leadership in introducing the SAFETY Act that would establish a long-term U.S. policy of protecting our exporters’ rights and are encouraged to see the measure featured as a farm bill priority.”
International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) President and CEO Michael Dykes adds that the proposal increases access to nutritious dairy foods for SNAP families, among other provisions.
“The Senate farm bill’s dairy nutrition incentives broaden existing SNAP incentives beyond nonfat (skim) and low-fat (1 percent) milk to include whole and reduced-fat (2 percent) milk, as well as certain cheeses, limited-sugar yogurt and cultured dairy food, helping stretch SNAP dollars for participating families,” Dykes said in a statement.
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) applauded Boozman and his team for their efforts to move the farm bill forward.
“I am encouraged to see the Senate build on the bipartisan momentum we began in the House of Representatives with the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026,” Thompson said in a statement. “It has never been more apparent that our country needs modern farm policy that finishes the work we started last summer with the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. I look forward to working with Chairman Boozman and getting a farm bill to President Trump’s desk soon.”
