House Ag Committee to mark up 2026 Farm Bill next week

Last Friday, the House Committee on Agriculture released bill text for the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. With a little over a week to review text, the Full Committee is scheduled to convene and begin to markup the 2026 Farm Bill this upcoming Monday, February 23, and go through Wednesday, February 25. Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) stated in the initial announcement releasing text that, “a new farm bill is long overdue, and the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is an important step forward in providing certainty to our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.” A few notable changes in the 2026 version of the ‘skinny’ farm bill include codifying the transfer of the Food for Peace program to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), language to address and overturn California’s Proposition 12, and updates regarding current pesticide labeling standards. In response to the majority’s announcement, Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) stated that, “the Republican farm bill fails to meet the moment facing farmers and working people.” You can find the following resources for the 2026 Farm Bill below:

• Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 Bill Text
• Title By Title Overview
• Section-By-Section Overview
• Title By Title Summary

You can watch live or recorded coverage of the markup on the House Agriculture Committee’s website once the markup begins here.

Trump announces EO deeming glyphosate production as a national security priority

On Wednesday, February 18, the White House issued an executive order (EO) relaying that the production of elemental phosphorus is crucial to military readiness and overall national security. This follows a similar chain of executive actions from November 2025 when the Department of the Interior designated phosphate as a critical mineral. Phosphorus is a key ingredient in the widely used herbicide glyphosate and is an effective and efficient tool available for producers. The EO directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support increased production of phosphorus and authorizes the Department to “allocate materials, services, and facilities deemed necessary” to ensure adequate supply. You can find more information and view the EO in its entirety here.

USDA announces specialty crop assistance eligibility through the FBA Program

Late last Friday, February 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced commodity eligibility for the $1 billion set aside for specialty crops and sugar under the Farmer Bridger Assistance (FBA) Program to be issued through the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. These one-time payments for specialty crops and sugar are aimed at addressing poor market conditions such as inflation, increased input costs, market losses, etc. The commodity-specific payment rates will be released before the end of March. Eligible producers have until March 13, 2026, to submit records pertaining to 2025 acreage reports to the Farm Service Agency for inclusion. More information, including eligible commodities, can be found here.

 Additionally, producers eligible under the initial wave of FBA are encouraged to prepare for program access by creating a Login.gov account here. You can find more general information about the FBA program here.