[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7567 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7567
To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other
programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2031, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2026
Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other
programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2031, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Farm, Food, and
National Security Act of 2026''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--COMMODITIES
Sec. 1001. Suspension of permanent price support authority.
Sec. 1002. Tree assistance program.
Sec. 1003. Specialty crop emergency assistance framework.
Sec. 1004. Assistance in the form of block grants.
Sec. 1005. Dairy-related extensions.
Sec. 1006. Mandatory reporting of dairy product processing costs.
Sec. 1007. Dairy reports.
Sec. 1008. Processing of certain loans.
Sec. 1009. Storage facility loans.
Sec. 1010. Strengthening domestic food production supply chains.
Sec. 1011. Regulations.
TITLE II--CONSERVATION
Subtitle A--Definitions
Sec. 2001. Definitions.
Sec. 2002. Mitigation banking.
Subtitle B--Conservation Reserve Program
Sec. 2101. Conservation reserve.
Sec. 2102. Farmable wetland program.
Subtitle C--Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Sec. 2201. Definitions.
Sec. 2202. Establishment and administration.
Sec. 2203. Limitation on payments.
Sec. 2204. Conservation innovation grants and payments.
Subtitle D--Conservation Stewardship Program
Sec. 2301. Duties of the Secretary.
Sec. 2302. State assistance for soil health.
Subtitle E--Other Conservation Programs
Sec. 2401. Conservation of private grazing land.
Sec. 2402. Feral swine eradication and control program.
Sec. 2403. Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act.
Sec. 2404. Emergency conservation program.
Sec. 2405. Emergency watershed program.
Sec. 2406. National agriculture flood vulnerability study.
Subtitle F--Funding and Administration
Sec. 2501. Commodity Credit Corporation.
Sec. 2502. Delivery of technical assistance.
Sec. 2503. Administrative requirements for conservation programs.
Subtitle G--Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
Sec. 2601. Definitions.
Sec. 2602. Agricultural land easements.
Sec. 2603. Wetland reserve easements.
Sec. 2604. Administration.
Subtitle H--Forest Conservation Easement Program
Sec. 2701. Forest conservation easement program.
Sec. 2702. Healthy Forests Reserve Program.
Subtitle I--Regional Conservation Partnership Program
Sec. 2801. Establishment and purposes.
Sec. 2802. Definitions.
Sec. 2803. Regional conservation partnerships.
Sec. 2804. Assistance to producers.
Sec. 2805. Funding.
Sec. 2806. Administration.
Sec. 2807. Critical conservation areas.
TITLE III--TRADE
Subtitle A--Food for Peace Act
Sec. 3101. Transfer of authorities to the Secretary of Agriculture.
Sec. 3102. Food aid quality assurance.
Sec. 3103. Repeal of minimum levels of assistance.
Sec. 3104. Food aid consultative group.
Sec. 3105. Issuance of regulations; oversight, monitoring, and
evaluation.
Sec. 3106. International food relief partnership.
Sec. 3107. Use of commodity credit corporation.
Sec. 3108. Pre-positioning of agricultural commodities and annual
report regarding food aid programs and
activities.
Sec. 3109. Deadline for agreements to finance sales or to provide other
assistance.
Sec. 3110. Minimum level of nonemergency food assistance.
Sec. 3111. Termination date for micronutrient fortification programs.
Sec. 3112. John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter farmer-to-farmer program.
Sec. 3113. Food for Peace Act administration.
Subtitle B--Agricultural Trade Act of 1978
Sec. 3201. Agricultural trade promotion and facilitation.
Sec. 3202. Preserving foreign markets for goods using common names.
Sec. 3203. Interagency seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetable
working group.
Subtitle C--Other Agricultural Trade Laws
Sec. 3301. Growing American food exports.
Sec. 3302. Food for Progress Act of 1985.
Sec. 3303. Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act.
Sec. 3304. Promotion of agricultural exports to emerging markets.
Sec. 3305. International agricultural education fellowship program.
Sec. 3306. International agriculture cultural immersion and exchange
program.
Sec. 3307. International food security technical assistance.
Sec. 3308. McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child
Nutrition Program.
Sec. 3309. Global crop diversity trust.
Sec. 3310. Local and regional food aid procurement projects.
Sec. 3311. Agricultural trade enforcement task force.
Sec. 3312. Report on international shrimp trade.
TITLE IV--NUTRITION
Subtitle A--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Sec. 4101. Declaration of policy.
Sec. 4102. Prohibited fees.
Sec. 4103. SNAP staffing flexibility.
Sec. 4104. Updates to administrative processes for SNAP retailers.
Sec. 4105. Report On All Identified Payment Errors.
Sec. 4106. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 4107. Retail food store and recipient trafficking.
Sec. 4108. EBT card security regulations.
Sec. 4109. Report on SNAP administrative expenses.
Sec. 4110. Animal protein an eligible incentive food.
Sec. 4111. Permanent authority for supplemental nutrition assistance
program online purchasing.
Sec. 4112. Emergency food assistance programs.
Sec. 4113. Food distribution program on Indian reservations.
Subtitle B--Commodity Distribution Programs
Sec. 4201. Commodity distribution program.
Sec. 4202. Commodity supplemental food program.
Sec. 4203. Distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition
projects.
Sec. 4204. Commodity supplemental food program demonstration project
for tribal organizations.
Subtitle C--Miscellaneous
Sec. 4301. Purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to
schools and service institutions.
Sec. 4302. Buy American requirements for certain school meals.
Sec. 4303. Reauthorization of the Gus Schumacher nutrition incentive
program.
Sec. 4304. Food loss and waste reduction liaison annual report.
Sec. 4305. Dairy nutrition incentives projects.
Sec. 4306. Local farmers feeding our communities program.
Sec. 4307. Healthy food financing initiative.
Sec. 4308. Dietary Guidelines.
TITLE V--CREDIT
Subtitle A--Farm Ownership Loans
Sec. 5101. Persons eligible for real estate loans.
Sec. 5102. Experience requirements.
Sec. 5103. Refinancing of indebtedness into direct loans.
Sec. 5104. Conservation loan and loan guarantee program.
Sec. 5105. Limitations on amount of farm ownership loans.
Sec. 5106. Inflation percentage.
Sec. 5107. Authority of Farm Credit System institutions to provide
financial support for essential rural
community facilities projects.
Sec. 5108. Down payment loan program.
Sec. 5109. Heirs property.
Sec. 5110. Prompt approval of loans and loan guarantees.
Sec. 5111. Expedited approval pilot program.
Subtitle B--Operating Loans
Sec. 5201. Persons eligible for operating loans.
Sec. 5202. Limitations on amount of operating loans.
Sec. 5203. Limitation on microloan amounts.
Sec. 5204. Cooperative lending pilot projects.
Subtitle C--Emergency Loans
Sec. 5301. Persons eligible for emergency loans.
Subtitle D--Administrative Provisions
Sec. 5401. Beginning farmer and rancher individual development accounts
pilot program.
Sec. 5402. Loan authorization levels.
Sec. 5403. Loan fund set-asides.
Sec. 5404. Use of additional funds for direct operating microloans
under certain conditions.
Subtitle E--Miscellaneous
Sec. 5501. Extension of credit to businesses providing services to
producers or harvesters of aquatic
products.
Sec. 5502. Export finance authority.
Sec. 5503. Support for rural water and waste systems.
Sec. 5504. Farm credit system regulation.
Sec. 5505. Loan guarantees.
Sec. 5506. Standards for qualified loans.
Sec. 5507. State agricultural mediation programs.
Sec. 5508. Technical corrections.
TITLE VI--RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Subtitle A--Improving Health Outcomes in Rural America
Sec. 6101. Prioritizations for distance learning and telemedicine and
community facilities program.
Sec. 6102. Distance learning and telemedicine loans and grants.
Subtitle B--Connecting Rural Americans to High Speed Broadband
Sec. 6201. Rural broadband program loans and grants.
Sec. 6202. Expansion of middle mile infrastructure into rural areas.
Sec. 6203. Innovative broadband advancement program.
Sec. 6204. Community connect grants.
Sec. 6205. Rate regulation.
Sec. 6206. Public notice, assessments, technical assistance, and
reporting requirements.
Sec. 6207. Limitation on overbuilding.
Subtitle C--Miscellaneous
Sec. 6301. Rural energy savings program.
Sec. 6302. Promoting precision agriculture.
Sec. 6303. Food supply chain guaranteed loans.
Sec. 6304. New, mobile, and expanded meat processing and rendering
grants.
Sec. 6305. Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative.
Sec. 6306. Technical assistance for geographically underserved and
distressed areas.
Sec. 6307. Establishment of the Rural Development Innovation Center.
Sec. 6308. Rural Health Liaison report.
Subtitle D--Additional Amendments to the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act
Sec. 6401. Water, waste disposal, and wastewater facility grants.
Sec. 6402. Rural water and wastewater circuit rider program.
Sec. 6403. Zero and low interest loans for distressed water systems.
Sec. 6404. Tribal college and university essential community
facilities.
Sec. 6405. Emergency and imminent community water assistance grant
program.
Sec. 6406. Water systems for rural and native villages in Alaska.
Sec. 6407. Rural decentralized water systems.
Sec. 6408. Assistance to rural entities.
Sec. 6409. Solid waste management grants.
Sec. 6410. Rural business development grants.
Sec. 6411. Rural cooperative development grants.
Sec. 6412. Lender fees in guaranteed loan programs.
Sec. 6413. Locally or regionally produced agricultural food products.
Sec. 6414. Appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program.
Sec. 6415. Rural economic area partnership zones.
Sec. 6416. Intermediary relending program.
Sec. 6417. Rural health care facility assistance.
Sec. 6418. Elimination of prohibition on use of loan for certain
purposes.
Sec. 6419. Rural Business-Cooperative Service programs technical
assistance and training.
Sec. 6420. National Rural Development Partnership.
Sec. 6421. Grants for NOAA weather radio transmitters.
Sec. 6422. Rural microentrepreneur assistance program.
Sec. 6423. Health care services.
Sec. 6424. Strategic economic and community development.
Sec. 6425. Rural innovation stronger economy grant program.
Sec. 6426. Limitation on rural business investment companies controlled
by Farm Credit System institutions.
Sec. 6427. Rural business investment program.
Sec. 6428. Technical corrections.
Sec. 6429. Rural water and wastewater technical assistance and training
programs.
Subtitle E--Additional Amendments to the Rural Electrification Act of
1936
Sec. 6501. Guarantees for bonds and notes issued for utility
infrastructure purposes.
Sec. 6502. Extension of the rural economic development loan and grant
program.
Sec. 6503. Expansion of 911 access.
TITLE VII--RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND RELATED MATTERS
Subtitle A--National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977
Sec. 7101. National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and
Economics Advisory Board.
Sec. 7102. Specialty crop committee.
Sec. 7103. Veterinary medicine loan repayment.
Sec. 7104. Veterinary services grant program.
Sec. 7105. Grants and fellowships for food and agriculture sciences
education.
Sec. 7106. Agricultural and food policy research centers.
Sec. 7107. Education grants to Alaska Native serving institutions and
Native Hawaiian serving institutions.
Sec. 7108. Nutrition education program.
Sec. 7109. Continuing animal health and disease research programs.
Sec. 7110. Extension and agricultural research at 1890 land-grant
colleges, including Tuskegee University.
Sec. 7111. Scholarships for students at 1890 Institutions.
Sec. 7112. Grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities
at 1890 land-grant colleges, including
Tuskegee University.
Sec. 7113. Grants to upgrade agriculture and food sciences facilities
and equipment and support tropical and
subtropical agricultural research at
insular area land-grant colleges and
universities.
Sec. 7114. Matching funds requirement for research and extension
activities at eligible institutions.
Sec. 7115. New Beginning for Tribal Students.
Sec. 7116. Education grants programs for Hispanic-serving institutions.
Sec. 7117. Binational agricultural research and development.
Sec. 7118. Grants and partnerships for international agricultural
research, extension, and education.
Sec. 7119. Research equipment grants.
Sec. 7120. University research.
Sec. 7121. Extension service.
Sec. 7122. Supplemental and alternative crops.
Sec. 7123. Grants for community college agriculture and natural
resources programs.
Sec. 7124. Capacity building grants for NLGCA institutions.
Sec. 7125. Agriculture advanced research and development authority.
Sec. 7126. Aquaculture assistance programs.
Sec. 7127. Special authorization for biosecurity planning and response.
Sec. 7128. Agriculture and food protection grant program.
Sec. 7129. Distance education grants for insular areas.
Sec. 7130. Resident instruction grants for insular areas.
Sec. 7131. Repeals.
Subtitle B--Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
Sec. 7201. Sustainable agriculture research and education.
Sec. 7202. National Genetics Resources Program.
Sec. 7203. Agricultural genome to phenome initiative.
Sec. 7204. High-priority research and extension initiatives.
Sec. 7205. Organic agriculture research and extension initiative.
Sec. 7206. Farm business management.
Sec. 7207. Urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production
research, education, and extension
initiative.
Sec. 7208. Centers of excellence.
Sec. 7209. Assistive technology program for farmers with disabilities.
Sec. 7210. Farming opportunities training and outreach.
Sec. 7211. National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse.
Sec. 7212. Repeal.
Subtitle C--Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act
of 1998
Sec. 7301. National food safety training, education, extension,
outreach, and technical assistance program.
Sec. 7302. Integrated research, education, and extension competitive
grants program.
Sec. 7303. Support for research regarding diseases of wheat, triticale,
and barley caused by fusarium graminearum
or by tilletia indica.
Sec. 7304. Grants for youth organizations.
Sec. 7305. Specialty crop research initiative.
Sec. 7306. Agriculture grants for veteran education and training
services.
Sec. 7307. Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database program.
Sec. 7308. Office of Pest Management Policy.
Sec. 7309. Forestry products advanced utilization research.
Sec. 7310. Repeals.
Subtitle D--Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
Sec. 7401. Grazinglands research laboratory.
Sec. 7402. Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
Sec. 7403. Sun grant program.
Sec. 7404. Repeals.
Subtitle E--Amendments to Other Laws
Sec. 7501. Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994.
Sec. 7502. Research Facilities Act.
Sec. 7503. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Sec. 7504. Extension design and demonstration initiative.
Sec. 7505. Biomass research and development.
Sec. 7506. Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978.
Sec. 7507. National Aquaculture Act of 1980.
Sec. 7508. Reports on disbursement of funds for agricultural research
and extension at 1862 and 1890 land-grant
colleges, including Tuskegee University.
Sec. 7509. Repeal.
Subtitle F--Other Matters
Sec. 7601. Foundation for food and agriculture research.
Sec. 7602. Agriculture innovation center demonstration program.
Sec. 7603. Livestock insects laboratory.
Sec. 7604. U.S. Abit Massey National Poultry Research Center.
Sec. 7605. Hatch Act of 1887.
Sec. 7606. Commission on national agricultural statistics service
modernization.
Sec. 7607. Restoration of 4-H name and emblem authority.
Sec. 7608. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and
Economics.
Sec. 7609. Agricultural Innovation Corps.
TITLE VIII--FORESTRY
Subtitle A--Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978
Sec. 8101. Support for State assessments and strategies for forest
resources.
Sec. 8102. Forest legacy program technical correction.
Sec. 8103. State and private forest landscape-scale restoration
program.
Subtitle B--Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
Sec. 8201. Promoting cross-boundary wildfire mitigation.
Sec. 8202. Authorization of appropriations for hazardous fuel reduction
on Federal land.
Sec. 8203. Water sour