By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

The farm bill cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and now awaits action in the U.S. Senate.

The Food, Farm and National Security Act of 2026 (HR 7567) passed the House in a 224-200 vote April 30.

“The legislation includes some long-overdue changes that better reflect today’s agricultural economy,” Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said. “It strengthens risk management tools, improves access to credit, expands voluntary conservation opportunities, promotes trade and reinforces domestic food production as a matter of national security.”

The legislation, sometimes called Farm Bill 2.0, addresses farm bill programs that were not included in HR 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“A new, comprehensive farm bill is critical to addressing many of the challenges facing Texas and U.S. farmers and ranchers and is essential to protecting America’s food supply and supporting the broader rural economy,” Boening said.

Just before the bill was considered on the House floor, there was some concern the vote would be delayed until after the May recess.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) even told reporters a little more time was needed for negotiations on various provisions, but lawmakers on the floor worked for hours to put the bill back on track for a Thursday vote, where it passed.

“We thank U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson for his leadership on this bi-partisan legislation and the support from many members of the Texas congressional delegation,” Boening said.

The legislation garnered the support of 26 of the 37 members of the Texas delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

All 24 House Republicans from Texas and two Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, voted in favor of the bill.

Prior to the vote, Thompson told TFB Radio Network the farm bill crafted by the House Ag Committee wasn’t made in Washington. It was written around the countryside through farm bill listening sessions.

“This is a bill that we wrote…in pastures, barnyards and tool sheds in 43 different states, one territory and probably over 160 listening sessions at this point,” Thompson said.

The farm bill now awaits action in the Senate.

Prior to the vote in the House, Sen. John Boozman, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, said he has not released his draft of a farm bill as he was waiting for the House.

“We’ve got a little bit different situation in the Senate in the sense that as we do things because of the filibuster, we need 60 votes to get things passed,” Boozman said. “So, because of that, we’re working really hard to try and come up with the farm bill. We’re looking at what’s happening with the House right now. What I’d like to do is take the things that we feel like there’s support on both sides, really maximize our time building a coalition with those things and then get them passed.”