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Kansas Representatives Sharice Davids and Tracey Mann helped move the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 forward after it passed the U.S. House Agriculture Committee 34-17. The legislation, which would authorize farm programs for the next five years, aims to provide stability, lower costs, and long-term support for farmers and rural communities.
The bill strengthens crop insurance, invests in agricultural research and rural development, and expands market access for U.S. producers. It also permanently moves the Kansas-born Food for Peace program to the USDA, prioritizing American-grown commodities while reducing bureaucratic hurdles.
Rep. Davids submitted amendments to improve the bill for Kansas producers, including one directing the Natural Resources Conservation Service to study winter wheat grown as a cover crop. This change aims to remove regulatory barriers, protect soil health, and help farmers make better planting decisions.
“It’s been eight years since Congress passed a Farm Bill, and Kansas farmers are operating in an environment of high input costs, tight margins, and unstable markets due to reckless tariffs. I voted to advance this Farm Bill because it strengthens crop insurance, invests in agricultural research and rural development, and keeps us moving toward the certainty producers need,” said Rep. Davids. “That said, this should have been a more bipartisan, consensus-driven process. Farm Bills are strongest when they are built together, and maintaining that coalition — including strong nutrition assistance programs that help families manage high grocery prices while supporting farm demand — is critical to long-term success. This is not a final product, but moving it forward keeps us on a path toward delivering the predictable policy, open markets, and lower costs Kansas producers and families are asking for.”
Rep. Mann emphasized that the bill supports rural infrastructure, broadband, energy, and workforce development while promoting innovation and precision agriculture.
“The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is about supporting American agriculture and the rural communities that power it,” said Rep. Mann. “After strengthening the farm safety net last year in the Working Families Tax Cuts, this legislation builds on our progress by investing in rural development, expanding market access, lowering energy costs, and ensuring producers have the tools they need to stay competitive. I am especially proud that this bill permanently moves the Kansas-born Food for Peace program to USDA, prioritizing American-grown commodities and restoring the program to its original mission. Kansas farmers and ranchers feed, fuel, and clothe the world, and this Farm Bill brings much-needed certainty to the producers who keep America’s food supply strong.”
The legislation now heads to the full House for consideration.
