The House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) – the Farm Bill – (Farm Bill | House Committee On Agriculture Republicans) by a vote of 224 to 200 on April With 14 Democrats voting in favor, the Farm Bill obtained the highest number of votes from the minority party on a House farm bill since 2008. Similarly, with over 96% of Republicans voting in favor, this is the highest level of Republican support for a House Farm Bill in history.
House Agriculture Committee chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA) led the process from start to finish to get the Farm Bill through the committee and approved on the House floor with bipartisan support. The floor action follows passage by the House Agriculture Committee in March on a bipartisan vote of 34 to 17. This Farm Bill primarily includes policy updates and program reauthorizations and amendments to the current Farm Bill. Most of the additional funding and budget changes to the major Farm Bill programs including commodity, crop insurance, and nutrition policies were made as part of H.R. 1 (budget reconciliation package) last summer.
H.R. 7567 includes a number of key updates and improvements to the Conservation Title (Title II) of the Farm Bill by protecting and enhancing working lands conservation programs to ensure they remain producer-first, flexible, and locally led. For example, the bill enhances the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) by incorporating precision agriculture technology for cost share assistance under EQIP. The bill improves the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and provides additional soil health tools by adding the planning, adoption, and acquisition of precision agriculture practices and technologies as eligible for CSP payments.
Following passage of the Farm Bill in the House, the Senate Agriculture Committee is expected to begin consideration of its version of the Farm Bill in the coming weeks with the goal of a final Farm Bill being enacted before the end of this year.
The growing concerns by producers about escalating fertilizer prices (up 40-50% this year) and the negative impact on crop margins are getting increased attention in Congress. Since early this year, three bipartisan bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate. These bills include the following:
The Fertilizer Research Act (H.R. 6192/S.2808) – require USDA to conduct extensive research on the U.S. fertilizer industry and market, impacts on the industry and prices, influences of trade policy and extent of utilization of fertilizer use efficiency practices and provide a report to Congress.
Fertilizer Transparency Act (H.R. 8104/S. 4152) – requires mandatory price reporting to USDA on fertilizer prices and quantities by wholesalers of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash products. Excludes cooperatives and retailers.
Homegrown Fertilizer Act (H.R. 8457/S.4148) – provides grants and direct and guaranteed loans to establish new fertilizer manufacturing and storage facilities for any new or current company as long as the company has less than the 4th largest market share in the U.S. of the markets for nitrogen, phosphate, and potash products. Grants can be up to $100 M with matching funds required.
The Senate Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing on May 12 – Perspectives on the Fertilizer Industry: Ensuring a Stable and Affordable Supply for American Producers (Home | Senate Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry). The hearing will include witnesses representing producers, the major fertilizer manufacturers and wholesalers, and a start-up fertilizer company.
