By Andi Anderson
Farm Bureau leaders are celebrating the bipartisan approval of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by the House Agriculture Committee.
The vote followed by an Action Alert sent to Farm Bureau members highlighting the importance of strong support for the bill during the committee’s markup process.
The organization emphasized that farmers across the country urgently need updated legislation to help them navigate today’s difficult agricultural economy.
In an official statement, the American Farm Bureau Federation called on House leaders to maintain momentum and bring the bill to a full vote on the House floor.
AFBF President Zippy Duvall shared appreciation for the committee’s efforts, stating, “Farm Bureau appreciates the leadership of Chairman Thompson and applauds supportive members of the committee on both sides of the aisle for recognizing that a new farm bill is critical as farmers face headwinds not seen in a generation.”
Both the American Farm Bureau and Ohio Farm Bureau urged Congress to act quickly in both the House and Senate. They stressed that farmers and rural communities are dealing with significant challenges that require updated programs, modern policy tools, and improved support systems.
Ohio Farm Bureau President Bill Patterson highlighted the urgency, saying, “As Ohio farmers and our rural communities face a growing list of generational challenges, we urgently need a new, modernized farm bill that provides the certainty our farmers need to plan, invest and continue feeding our communities. We appreciate Chairman G.T. Thompson and the House Agriculture Committee for the bipartisan passage of their farm bill and join the call to bring this legislation swiftly to the House floor while urging Senate leaders to do the same.”
Duvall also emphasized how much pressure families in agriculture have been facing over the past several years. He explained, “Farmers understand there are many competing priorities in our country right now, but so much has changed since Congress last updated the farm bill in 2018. Agriculture has endured a pandemic, runaway inflation, rising interest rates, and historic supply chain and market disruptions. Costs for fuel, fertilizer, equipment, and labor have surged, and margins have narrowed. The pressure on farm families has intensified so much that we’ve lost more than 175,000 farms since 2017. That’s just heartbreaking.”
The latest version of the farm bill aims to address these challenges by strengthening farm programs, improving risk management tools, and boosting support for rural communities. Leaders across the agricultural sector continue to urge Congress to move quickly so farmers can access the stability and certainty they need for planning and investment.
Categories: Ohio, Sustainable Agriculture