The House Appropriations Committee has approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The committee voted 35 to 27 in favor of the measure.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) stated that the act "reflects a clear, conservative commitment to fiscal responsibility while ensuring that America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities remain a top priority." He emphasized the legislation's focus on strengthening agricultural research, supporting rural businesses and infrastructure, safeguarding food and drug supply while cutting unnecessary expenditures from previous administrations.
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) remarked on the significance of recognizing those who work in agriculture. He said the FY26 bill supports "President Trump’s farmer-first agenda" by investing in agricultural research and rural broadband while preserving U.S. farmland.
The appropriations act includes a discretionary allocation of $25.523 billion, which is $1.163 billion below the level enacted for Fiscal Year 2025. It prioritizes programs that protect food and drug supplies and support farmers and rural communities while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Key components of the bill include investments in agricultural research, funding for safety inspections of food products, resources for low-income nutrition programs, measures against foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land by certain countries, among others.
Amendments adopted during the markup included bipartisan technical changes proposed by Harris; support for nutrition assistance led by Hinson; investments to educate youth on vaping dangers spearheaded by Wasserman Schultz; reports on domestic infant formula supply led by Letlow; efforts to reduce food loss driven by Pingree; expansion of maternal health services initiated by Underwood; inclusion of traditional marriage values in a Republican En Bloc amendment; and ways to increase market competition for infant formula suggested by Gluesenkamp Perez.
The full text of the bill before amendments is available online along with reports detailing Community Project Funding requests.
