WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Agriculture Committee today passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by a vote of 34-17, advancing 21 priorities championed by Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03). The provisions reflect priorities Rep. Nunn heard directly from Iowa farmers and producers and focus on investing in rural communities, strengthening family farms, and securing American agriculture for the next generation.
“For two years, I’ve traveled across Iowa listening to farmers, producers, and rural communities about what they need from the next Farm Bill,” said Rep. Nunn. “I fought to make sure Iowa farmers had a seat at the table as this legislation was written. Together, we secured 21 priorities that open doors for young producers, protect our food supply from foreign adversaries, and ensure Iowa farmers can continue feeding and fueling the world.”
Key Wins Led by Rep. Nunn Included in the Farm Bill:
Supporting the Next Generation of Farmers
- Expanding access to farm ownership: Based on Rep. Nunn’s Next Generation of Farmers Act, the bill lowers barriers to USDA farm ownership loans by reducing experience requirements to as little as one year, helping more young producers get their start in Iowa agriculture.
- Addressing farm transitions: Language from Rep. Nunn’s Farm Transitions Act establishes a national commission to study the challenges facing the next generation of farmers, including land affordability, credit access, and foreign farmland ownership.
Investing in Rural Iowa Communities
- Expanding rural broadband: Based on Rep. Nunn’s ReConnecting Rural America Act, the bill codifies the USDA ReConnect program to expand high-speed internet access for rural communities, supporting modern agriculture and rural economic growth.
- Boosting capital access for rural small businesses: The bill includes key provisions of Rep. Nunn’s Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Act, increasing the maximum loan under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to $75,000, lowering cost-sharing requirements, and extending the program through 2031.
- Delivering food assistance to rural seniors: By incorporating Rep. Nunn’s Delivering for Rural Seniors Act, the bill establishes a pilot home delivery program for participants in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, ensuring seniors living in rural communities who cannot travel to distribution sites still receive the food assistance they need.
- Strengthening cybersecurity for rural water systems: The bill includes provisions from Rep. Nunn’s Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act to provide technical assistance to rural utilities defending against cyber threats.
- Supporting rural economic development: Based on Rep. Nunn’s Revitalizing Rural Communities Act, the bill reauthorizes the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program, sustaining a key financing tool for infrastructure and economic projects in rural Iowa.
Protecting Farm Country from Disasters
- Modernizing watershed recovery programs: Language from Rep. Nunn’s Protecting Farmers from Natural Disaster Act allows USDA’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program to rebuild infrastructure stronger than before disasters, when doing so protects communities long term.
- Strengthens federal flood response: Based on Rep. Nunn’s Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act, the bill increases federal cost-share assistance for watershed rehabilitation and directs a national study on agricultural flood risk.
Defending America’s Food Supply and National Security
- Strengthening agricultural cybersecurity: Language related to provisions in Rep. Nunn’s Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act creates a competitive grant program to strengthen cybersecurity across the food and agriculture sector.
- Protecting Iowa producers from out-of-state mandates: Based on the Save Our Bacon Act, the bill overturns Proposition 12 and prevents states like California from imposing their own production standards on farmers in other states, protecting Iowa livestock producers from costly regulatory overreach.
Supporting Nutrition Access
- Investing in local food systems: Based on Rep. Nunn’s Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act, the bill allows states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local producers with community food distribution organizations.
- Expanding nutrition incentives for Iowa families: The bill includes provisions from Rep. Nunn’s GusNIP Expansion Act to reauthorize programs that help low-income families purchase more fruits and vegetables.
Protecting Animal Welfare
- Cracking down on cruel puppy mills: Rep. Nunn secured an amendment adopted unanimously, reinforcing USDA’s authority to enforce the Animal Welfare Act against abusive breeders.
- Banning greyhound racing: Rep. Nunn secured an amendment based on his Greyhound Protection Act to outlaw greyhound racing in the U.S. and ban gambling on races simulcast from other countries.
The Farm Bill now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives.
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