Senate passes 2026 Agriculture appropriations bill
The Senate on Friday passed the fiscal year 2026 agriculture appropriations bill that funds the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration and related agencies.
The vote on the agriculture bill was combined with the bill for veterans programs and military construction. The vote was 87 to 9.
The Senate also approved a bill to fund the legislative branch by a vote of 81 to 15, but did not take up a proposed fourth measure to fund the commerce and justice departments and science agencies due to disagreements about whether to move the FBI to another location in Washington or one in Maryland.
The Senate bill provides $27.1 billion in discretionary funding. In June, the House Appropriations Committee approved $25.5 billion in discretionary funding, but the full House has not taken up that measure.
Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Hoeven, R-N.D., said in a statement, “This legislation invests in our farmers, ranchers and rural communities.”
“We prioritized funding essential tools for our producers like better access to capital and provisions to help protect against pests and diseases like the avian flu and chronic wasting disease,” Hoeven said. “We also make important investments in agriculture research to continue the good work of NDSU [North Dakota State University], Grand Farm and their partners. Ultimately, this legislation is about helping ensure the success of our farmers, ranchers and agri-businesses.”
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, noted that the bill includes funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children without benefit cuts.
Murray said in a news release, “This is a good bill that rejects reckless proposals to slash and eliminate programs that support rural communities and families and that, instead, keeps our families fed and our farms flourishing.”
“This bill fully funds WIC at projected participation levels — with no benefits cuts — and provides targeted increases for agricultural research, rural housing, and food safety,” Murray said.
“And it rejects damaging calls to eliminate international food aid programs, voluntary conservation support for farmers and ranchers, and food boxes that feed hundreds of thousands of seniors. It invests in America — from helping farmers grow to helping our economy grow to helping kids and families grow.”
In an analysis, The New York Times said the passage of the bills on Friday was an accomplishment, but that that the agreement to pass those bills “masked a bitter fight over how to fund the government past a Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.”
The Senate convened today at 9:30 a.m. amid continuing uncertainty about the confirmation of President Trump’s nominees and when it will recess for the rest of August. The Senate is scheduled to return Tuesday, Sept. 2.
