House passes farm bill for first time since 2018

The U.S. House voted 224–200 yesterday morning to pass the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, ending a years-long stalemate and sending the legislation to the Senate.

Farmer cooperatives and their members have been operating under a lapsed, repeatedly extended farm bill since 2023. Today's vote is the first time the House has passed a farm bill since 2018 — a long-overdue signal to rural America that Congress is moving.

"Today's House vote is a hard-won and long-overdue step forward for American agriculture. Farmers and ranchers across this country have been operating under a lapsed farm bill for years — that uncertainty takes a real toll on planting decisions, on lending, on long-term investment. We commend Chairman Thompson and the House for getting this done, and we are calling on the Senate to act urgently." — Duane Simpson, President & CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC).

The bill includes an amendment offered by Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), to ensure that farmer cooperatives are treated equitably in the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects — and the Johnson amendment ensures co-ops have a fair shot at accessing those resources alongside other eligible entities.

NCFC will continue to advocate for a final bill that delivers strong outcomes for farmer-owned cooperatives across commodity support, crop insurance, rural development, and trade — and will push to ensure the Senate preserves and builds on the cooperative-friendly provisions in the House bill.

source: NCFC