The Texas Farm Bureau this week praised the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture for advancing the "Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026" — or Farm Bill — out of committee with bipartisan support.

The five-year farm bill, aimed to extend U.S. Department of Agriculture programs through 2031, was approved late Wednesday, March 4, by a margin of 34-17 in the House committee, with U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson championing many items in the package.

“This vote is a critical step toward delivering certainty for farmers, ranchers, and consumers who have waited far too long for an updated farm bill," reads a statement from the Farm Bureau. "We thank Chairman G.T. Thompson and his team for their leadership and hard work to move this legislation forward in a thoughtful, bipartisan manner focused on real world challenges facing agriculture.

“Texas Farm Bureau is proud to have played an active role in shaping this bill, including hosting a U.S. House Committee on Agriculture listening session in Waco in 2024 and taking committee members on farm tours so they could see firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing Texas producers. That direct engagement makes a difference, which is reflected in the policies advancing today.

“Now, the full House of Representatives must step up and finish the job. Congress should move swiftly to pass a comprehensive farm bill and ensure it aligns with key farm bill provisions already included in the ‘Working Families Tax Cut Act,’ also known as the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,'" the Farm Bureau statement continues. "Farmers and ranchers need action, not delays. Congress must come together and deliver.”

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson touts benefits for Texas agriculture

Jackson, who represents the sprawling U.S. House 13 district that stretches from the Panhandle into north Texas, said he worked to champion Texas’ agriculture priorities during the House Committee on Agriculture’s markup of the Farm Bill.

In a statement, he said the 2026 Farm Bill ensures agriculture producers have the tools necessary to face the challenges of the modern agricultural industry.

“As the Representative for the number one agriculture district in Texas, I know firsthand that an updated Farm Bill is long overdue,” Jackson said. “Our farmers and ranchers in TX-13 work tirelessly to feed and fuel this nation, and they deserve policies that provide them the certainty needed to remain in operation for generations to come. I’m proud to have secured key wins for our district and for the agriculture industry as a whole, and I look forward to getting this Farm Bill across the finish line and signed into law.”

Jackson’s included provisions are:

• Feral Swine Eradication and Control Program Coordination with Land Grant Universities: Directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to partner with qualified land grant universities, like Texas A&M, to strengthen feral swine control, eradication, and land remediation efforts.
• Dietary Guidelines Reform Act: Codifies the Trump administration’s evidence-based reforms to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs).
• Rural Health Care Technical Assistance Program Act: Codifies and expands USDA’s Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program, helping to enhance financial and operational capabilities for critical health care facilities in rural America.
• Pilot Program to Review Effectiveness of Coverage Penalty: Establishes a USDA pilot program to evaluate the effectiveness of crop insurance coverage penalties for late-planted crops in the Texas Panhandle.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Stability Act: Directs the USDA Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to develop a crop insurance policy to help cotton producers manage increased risks associated with harvesting crops that were failed in the early growing season, ensuring additional cotton bales are processed throughout the cotton industry supply chain.
• Enhanced Biosecurity During a Foreign Animal Disease Outbreak: Strengthens USDA’s foreign animal disease preparedness and response capabilities by explicitly including biosecurity assistance and the costs of enhanced biosecurity measures in producer support programs.

Jackson’s included amendments are:

• Lamb Industry Insurance Policy Study: Requires the USDA to conduct a study evaluating the feasibility and design of a federal insurance program for the domestic lamb industry, assessing options to provide sheep producers with risk management tools comparable to those available in other livestock sectors.
• Adverse Weather Exemption for Livestock Risk Protection Insurance: Directs the USDA to evaluate the potential for additional flexibilities under the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) program that would allow feeder cattle producers impacted by adverse weather events, including wildfires, to sell covered livestock outside the current 60-day marketing window without losing insurance coverage.
• 15% Cap for Administrative Fees on USDA Animal Disease Program: Ensures more federal funding for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program is used by eligible entities to conduct critical animal disease surveillance, prevention, and diagnostic work that keep America’s livestock producers safe by capping eligible entities’ administrative costs at no more than 15%.

Source - https://www.amarillo.com