WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released a discussion draft of the Agricultural Act of 2026. The draft covers all 12 titles of the traditional farm bill process and seeks to address provisions not included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law last July and made historic investments in the farm safety net.
This draft includes more than 100 bipartisan bills introduced throughout the 119th Congress. The discussion draft is intended to gather feedback to help move the process forward, with the goal of building a broader consensus before a formal introduction and a vote at the committee level. The committee markup is expected to take place before the August recess.
“As we approach the anniversary of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it is important that we build upon those investments and work to provide certainty and reauthorize the remaining provisions of the farm bill, and we thank Senator Boozman for moving the debate forward,” said USA Rice Chair Keith Glover. “The Agricultural Act of 2026 includes provisions that would prioritize U.S. commodities, like rice, in food aid; support fertilizer research and on farm storage; support voluntary, incentive-based, and locally led conservation; and modernize the current limits on Farm Service Agency ownership and operating loans.
To learn more about Agricultural Act of 2026, the Senate Agriculture Committee has several resources available
online. While the draft bill does not include economic assistance because it is budget-neutral, the Chairman noted that he remains committed to advancing the farm assistance package that he and Senator Hoeven proposed in January (see
USA Rice Daily, June 17, 2026, and
USA Rice Daily, January 20, 2026).
In April, the House of Representatives passed its version of the farm bill – the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 – which secured 224 votes. Once the Senate passes its version of a skinny farm bill, the two versions will need to be reconciled to resolve their differences before it reaches the president's desk.