MAY 1, 2026 | VOLUME 29 | ISSUE 9
Farm Bureau Press FARM, FOOD & NATIONAL SECURITY ACT PASSES THE HOUSE
A PEEK INSIDE
The farm bill is a critical tool for ensuring our nation’s food supply remains secure. Funding for this comprehensive package includes risk management tools for farmers, access to nutrition for low-income families, conservation programs, and investments in agricultural research.
Farming is a difficult business, yet critical to the well-being of our nation. It’s often stated that food security is national security. Few pieces of legislation are more significant than the farm bill when it comes to ensuring our food system is secure. Agriculture is strategically important to the survival of the United States. Our nation’s economy, energy, environment and national security are dependent upon the viability of the agricultural industry. Agriculture must be treated as a strategic resource by our nation and reflected as such in local, state and national government policies. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) reconciliation package, was enacted on July 4, 2025, and invested $66B in farm programs. Although the OBBBA included much-needed farm program investment, Congress still must pass a comprehensive farm bill to address numerous programs that are critical to the success of farmers and ranchers. The food and farm bill has been a bipartisan effort in the past, presenting an important opportunity for lawmakers to rise above partisanship and work together again to pass legislation that protects food security for all Americans and the future success of our farmers and ranchers. On Thursday, April 30, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a 5-year, bipartisan and modernized farm bill that provides stability and ensures farmers can continue to provide food, fiber and fuel that all American families rely on. Now, farmers and ranchers await the release of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s version of the bill in coming weeks. A conference committee from both chambers must then both be formed to negotiate a final farm bill, with each chamber passing the identical reconciled bill before it can be sent to the President to be signed into law. Continued on page 2
2026 County Farm Families of the Year Announced, Page 3
Two Arkansans Graduate AFBF’s Communication Boot Camp, Page 3
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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION