Farmers and ranchers can handle hard work and tough seasons. That’s in our DNA. What gets more difficult to manage is prolonged uncertainty. After years of economic pressure, farm families need the stability and certainty that comes with a new, modernized farm bill.
That’s why the vote in the House of Representatives matters. The bipartisan passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is an important step toward giving America’s farmers and ranchers the support and certainty they need. We appreciate Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s (R-PA-5) leadership in moving this legislation forward and building a bipartisan path for action.
But farmers know better than anyone that starting the job is not the same as finishing it. Now, the Senate must act.
Food security is national security
I’ve said it many times because it is true: food security is national security. When America’s farmers and ranchers are struggling, it has a ripple effect far beyond the farm gate. Farmers work every day to provide a safe, nutritious food supply for American families. But they cannot continue doing that without policies that reflect today’s economic realities.
The last farm bill was written nearly a decade ago in a very different economic environment. Farm families have been facing tightening margins for years, and the pressure keeps building. USDA projects farm income to be roughly $48 billion below the highs we saw in 2022. Expenses are rising, markets are shifting, and low commodity prices keep squeezing balance sheets on family farms.
The farm bill passed by the House last week includes important updates to research and conservation, increased loan limits, and clarity on interstate commerce. Those updates will help give farmers and ranchers stronger tools to navigate today’s challenges and prepare for the future.
The farm bill is more than legislation for rural America. It is an investment in America’s future. It strengthens our food system, supports rural communities, and helps ensure the next generation can continue farming and ranching.
Senate must pass the bill
The House passage of the farm bill should spur action in the Senate. Farmers and ranchers have been waiting for more than three years for the certainty they need to keep planning, investing, and producing our nation’s food supply. Now it’s time for senators on both sides of the aisle to step up and move quickly to pass a strong, bipartisan farm bill.
Farm Bureau members across the country have spent years sharing their stories with lawmakers. They have spoken up about the financial pressures facing agriculture and the need for certainty. Those stories matter, and this House vote shows that lawmakers are listening.
America’s farmers and ranchers stand ready to keep producing a safe, healthy and secure food supply. Congress must do its part by getting a farm bill across the finish line. — Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president
