The 2026 Farm Bill has entered a key stretch in Congress, with major implications for farmers, ranchers, equipment manufacturers, and the rural communities that depend on a strong agriculture economy.
Since the 2018 Farm Bill expired in 2023, producers and the industries that support them have been operating under outdated policies and continued uncertainty. For equipment manufacturers, that uncertainty affects investment, innovation, and the ability to meet the needs of today’s agriculture economy.
Congress has taken several steps toward reauthorizing the farm bill, with the most significant action last year through H.R.1. The budget reconciliation package, sometimes referred to as Farm Bill 1.0, advanced along party lines and addressed much of the funding in the commodity, crop insurance, and nutrition programs. However, most of the remaining policy work still needs to be completed.
That leaves Congress with a difficult task: resolving the remaining policy priorities with limited funding available to build bipartisan support. The outcome will determine whether farmers and manufacturers receive the long-term certainty that they need. In April, the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), led by Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA). The bill advanced with bipartisan support and moved to the Senate. AEM issued a statement of support to highlight the significant policy wins for innovation through precision agriculture and additional certainty for the farm safety net and agriculture manufacturing jobs.
The focus now shifts to the Senate, where Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) is working to move the farm bill process forward. Last month, he released text for the Agricultural Act of 2026 (Farm Bill 2.0). AEM issued a statement applauding the bill and underscored the importance of provisions that support precision agriculture, protect farm income, and sustain the hundreds of thousands of equipment manufacturing jobs tied to the agriculture economy.
Notably, both the House and Senate included language from the AEM-led PRECISE Act, reflecting strong support from the original cosponsors. The provision would help expand access to precision agriculture technologies that allow farmers to improve productivity, use resources more efficiently, and adopt tools developed and supported by equipment manufacturers. In the House, this effort was led by Representative Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), while Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led the Senate bill. All four are leaders on their respective Agriculture Committees and advocated for these bills to be included. With these provisions in both the Senate draft and House bill, it is expected to remain part of negotiations between the House and Senate.
The House also included an AEM-endorsed bill led by Representative Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Representative Josh Riley (D-NY) to establish a cost-share grant program to retrofit tractors with rollover protection structures. This legislation would support safer working conditions for farmers and help prevent further tragedies. While the Senate companion bill was not included in the current draft, AEM is working with both committee offices and lead bill sponsors on a possible amendment. Its inclusion in the House bill also ensures the issue remains part of final negotiations.
While the Senate Agriculture Committee initially planned to consider the bill in July, the markup is now scheduled for Aug. 6. With Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) out on medical leave, the committee is currently evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. Ranking Member Klobuchar (D-MN) indicated that Democrats would need changes to the SNAP cost-share provision to support this bill. If that issue is not resolved, the bill could face procedural hurdles that slow its path to the Senate floor.
If the Senate moves forward, negotiations with the House are expected to move quickly, though several issues remain unresolved. Those include E15 provisions, Proposition 12 language, SNAP cost-share changes, and crop insurance cost-share changes. The House left for August recess on July 23, and the Senate leaves on August 7, meaning the final negotiations will likely be delayed until September.
With a limited number of legislative days left this year and the farm bill set to expire on Sept. 30, Congress faces growing pressure to act. A modernized farm bill would provide five years of certainty for farmers, strengthen the farm safety net, support continued investment in precision agriculture, and help sustain the equipment manufacturing jobs that keep the agriculture economy moving. AEM will continue working with lawmakers to advance a final bill that reflects the needs of farmers, manufacturers, and rural communities.
