SOUTH TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 — commonly referred to as the Farm Bill — is moving through Congress as lawmakers work to update agricultural policy and address today’s challenges facing farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from South Texas, says the legislation must balance support for producers with nutrition programs that help keep food affordable.
“And then at the same time, we need to make sure that we help with the school lunches, with the meals that people need. So 75% of the funding goes to, roughly, goes to nutrition and about 25% or so goes to the farmers or ranchers,” Cuellar said. Congressman John Rose (R-TN) also weighed in, describing the proposal as “Farm Bill 2.0.”
In a statement to RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey, Rep. Rose said the bill: “picks up where the One, Big, Beautiful Law left off. It supports critical programs that have been transformative for our rural communities, including improving access to healthcare and broadband. The bill ensures new and beginning farmers have greater access to credit.”
House and Senate Differences Still to Be Resolved
Cuellar says communication between the House and Senate will be key as lawmakers work to reconcile their versions of the legislation.
“The House and the Senate are under Republicans, but they need to talk to each other. In the old days, we kind of had an idea what the House and the Senate was doing. And here, we got to have a little bit more communication. But that’s what conferences, conference committees are about, so you can work out the difference,” Cuellar said.Rose, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the bill is moving in the right direction.
In his statement, he said, “The bill protects our nation’s producers in blue states from their woke legislatures by making it clear that pesticides are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, not courtrooms.”
Timeline for Passage Still Uncertain
The bill has already cleared the House Agriculture Committee and is headed toward a full House vote, but the timeline for final passage remains unclear. It appears that a farm bill can be signed into law, and it may be signed soon. But the question is, when exactly? Could it possibly be a nice little gift for Easter?
Cuellar says he hopes Congress can move quickly.
“I really hope so. You know, the committee kicked it out,” he said. “It was bipartisan. There were some Democrats that supported it. And I certainly want to see it on the floor. We’re hoping that when we get back, we can put it on the floor. Because look, we need a Farm Bill,” he said.Rose added that “The House Committee on Agriculture is finishing the job on behalf of our nation’s farmers!”
More than 230 agricultural stakeholder groups have expressed strong support for the bill, praising it for addressing policy gaps and promoting bipartisan cooperation.
Frank McCaffrey reporting for RFD NEWS.
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