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Cover Cropping to Improve Climate Resilience. Photo credit: NRCS — Photo credit: NRCS

On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Senate Agriculture Committee convened to consider the Agricultural Act of 2026, the farm bill draft presented by Chairman John Boozman (R-AR). The wide-ranging markup covered every title of the farm bill – from commodity programs and nutrition to research and agriculture credit – and the consideration of amendments along the way.

As the Committee debated the bill’s commodity title, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) offered an amendment to increase transparency and accountability, enforcing so-called “actively engaged in farming” rules. A portion of the subsequent exchange between Senators Welch, Grassley (R-IA), and Chairman Boozman is excerpted below.

Senator Welch: One of the things of concern to me is that some of the commodity programs, the support goes to people who don’t drive tractors…When I learned that 92,000 people in urban areas received about

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Comment: After Tense Markup, Farm Bill’s True Test Awaits on the Senate Floor

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: After Tense Markup, Farm Bill’s True Test Awaits on the Senate Floor

Washington, DC, Wednesday, September 16, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate Agriculture Committee’s reconvened markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026:

“Today’s passage is a step forward, although the work to craft a farm bill that levels the playing field for family farmers and makes bold new investments is just beginning. Farmers and ranchers are facing steep challenges – from rising costs to unstable and uncertain markets – and status quo farm policy is not a serious solution. They need and deserve a farm bill that invests new, permanent funding across all titles rather than picking

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Ozark Food Systems and Farm Bill Strategy: NSAC’s Summer Meeting Recap

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NSAC Members and Staff Outside the Ozarks Natural Foods Coop

Every summer, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) gathers to plan for the year ahead. NSAC summer meetings serve as an opportunity for coalition members to connect, exchange ideas and information, and strategize collectively on shared policy priorities. Summer meetings rotate locations yearly to reflect the geographical diversity of NSAC’s member organizations, also allowing NSAC members to observe how different local food systems operate and better understand how the policies NSAC advocates for impact farmers on the ground. In recent years, the Coalition has gathered in Vermont, Minnesota, and Colorado. This year’s Summer Meeting was held at the Stonebreaker Barn situated on Markham Hill in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Arkansas is an important agricultural state and home to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Senator John Boozman (R-AR).

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Digging Deeper into the Senate’s Farm Bill ‘Discussion Draft’

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On Tuesday, June 23, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the long-awaited text of the Agricultural Act of 2026 (the Agricultural Act). Clocking in at just over 900 pages, the Agricultural Act would update wide swaths of federal food and farm policy – yet NSAC’s initial analysis found that the draft falls well short of tapping its full potential. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives approved their own, separate version of the farm bill, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.

The most recent full farm bill – the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill, PL 115-334) – was signed into law in December 2018. As of July 2026, we are in uncharted waters – over seven and a half years have passed since the …

Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work Remains

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work Remains

Washington, DC, August 6, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate Agriculture Committee’s markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026:

“The path to a durable farm bill for all farmers and families has always been through a robust, bipartisan process – today’s markup reinforces that. A bipartisan amendment successfully secured meaningful funding for market opportunities for local farmers, an incredibly positive step forward. Yet the inability to find bipartisan solutions to address deep cuts to popular, oversubscribed conservation programs and the SNAP program will continue to weigh this bill down until real solutions are found. NSAC thanks Senators for

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Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers

Washington, DC, August 2, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman’s (R-AR) revised farm bill proposal. The committee will mark up the updated version of the Agricultural Act of 2026 on the morning of Thursday, August 6.

The latest Senate farm bill proposal comes up short on delivering the stability and level playing field that are so badly needed. American farmers and ranchers face a fundamentally destabilized agriculture landscape, and this farm bill would compound uncertainty by making deep cuts to conservation programs, withholding investments that would fuel domestic markets for local farmers, and leaving

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Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential

Washington, DC, June 24, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Agricultural Act of 2026 discussion draft released by Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR):

“At such a critical moment for farmers and American agriculture, prioritizing investments that ensure the long term success of farmers and their communities is paramount. The Senate discussion draft offers minimal improvements and fails to respond to States’ requests to delay SNAP cost share requirements, all but eliminating a viable path on the Senate floor. Ultimately, the proposal falls well short of tapping its full potential – and in doing so doubles down on a …

Farmers React to House Farm Bill

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“Farmers have waited far too long for a new farm bill while dealing with rising input costs, market volatility, and shrinking margins,” said Darin Von Ruden, a Wisconsin farmer and president of the state’s Farmers Union chapter. Farmers across the country agree and have been clear with Congress: they need a new farm bill that provides investments and policy solutions that will meaningfully improve not only the immediate crises farmers are facing, but also the long-term resilience and viability of their farms. As the House recently passed its Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 and attention turns to the Senate, this blog post uplifts farmers’ perspectives on how the House bill falls short of what they really need to see from a new farm bill, and what changes are urgently needed in the …

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Keeping the “Farm” in the Farm Safety Net

Comment: After Tense Markup, Farm Bill’s True Test Awaits on the Senate Floor

Comment: After Tense Markup, Farm Bill’s True Test Awaits on the Senate Floor

Ozark Food Systems and Farm Bill Strategy: NSAC’s Summer Meeting Recap

Digging Deeper into the Senate’s Farm Bill ‘Discussion Draft’

Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work Remains

Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work Remains

Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers

Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential

Farmers React to House Farm Bill