Feenstra Secures Major Victories for Iowa Agriculture in the Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) applauded the passage of the Farm Bill from the House Agriculture Committee and announced major legislative victories for Iowa agriculture. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 includes language from 15 bills that Feenstra introduced, 7 bills he co-led, and 4 bills that he co-sponsored.
“As I have met with Iowa farmers in my District, I have heard one thing loud and clear – Congress must immediately pass a strong, workable Farm Bill. I am proud to represent one of the largest agricultural districts in the nation,” said Rep. Feenstra. “I have worked to give farmers and working families a seat at the table to guide my priorities in the Farm Bill, providing certainty, investment, and the opportunity our agricultural communities deserve. This bill strengthens export markets for our producers, keeps China away from Iowa’s farmland, repeals Prop 12, prioritizes farmer safety, expands rural broadband access, and strengthens agricultural research. This is not just about policy, it is about delivering real results to ensure farmers and rural communities have the tools they need to continue to flourish. I look forward to having this legislation move quickly to the House Floor on its way to the President’s desk.”
Feenstra introduced 15 bills included in the Farm Bill, either partially or in their entirety:
1. Safe American Food Exports (SAFE) Act – which would codify USDA’s role in negotiating regionalization agreements for livestock exports from unaffected areas of the country in the event of an animal disease outbreak.
2. Precision Ag Loan Act – which would promote precision agriculture loans to help farmers lower their water usage, increase yields, and decrease input costs.
3. Fortifying Refrigeration Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports (FRIDGE) Act – which would develop the infrastructure – including cold-chain storage and port improvements – to ship Iowa beef, chicken, turkey, pork, grains, specialty crops, and other perishable goods worldwide and diversify our trading partners.
4. Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act – which would enhance oversight on foreign land ownership by increasing transparency and reporting requirements to ensure Iowa farmland stays in the hands of Iowa farmers.
5. Farmers First Act – which would expand and improve behavioral health services in rural communities and connect farmers and those in times of crisis with trained medical professionals to receive the personalized care that they need.
6. Roll-Over Prevention and Safety (ROPS) Act – which would continue operations of the National ROPS Rebate Program at USDA to help combat on-farm deaths caused by tractor rollovers.
7. Genome to Phenome Initiative Reauthorization Act – which would reauthorize the Genome to Phenome Initiative at 2018 Farm Bill funding levels, supporting enhanced genetics research to reduce the economic impact of pathogens on crops and animals.
8. Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act – which would modify the timeframe for payment rate adjustments in the Livestock Indemnity Program to ensure producers receive fair and accurate livestock pricing.
9. Middle Mile for Rural America Act – which would reauthorize the Middle Mile Program to help bridge the digital divide and connect rural communities to high-speed internet.
10. Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act – which would increase the accuracy of the SNAP Payment Error Rate (PER) calculations by amending the tolerance level from $54 to $0.
11. Rural Broadband Modernization Act – which would increase the minimum speed requirements within the ReConnect Program.
12. Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act – which would double the authorized funding for the AgARDA program to support high-risk, high-reward research.
13. Future Funding for Agricultural Research, Mentorship, and Education Reauthorization (Future FARMER) Act – which would extend the National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants and fellowships supporting food and agricultural science education through FY2029.
14. Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act – which would enhance the flexibility of USDA’s Emergency Watershed Protection Programs to better help farmers and rural communities combat flooding through increased flood protection, improved data collection, and repairs to aging infrastructure.
15. Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act – which would further expand vital crop and livestock insurance protections to veteran farmers.
Feenstra co-led 7 bills included in the Farm Bill, either partially or in their entirety:
16. Save Our Bacon Act – which would help overturn California’s Proposition 12 mandates on Iowa hog farmers.
17. Agriculture Export Promotion Act – which would double funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) to support exports of American agricultural products.
18. Farm to Fly Act of 2025 – which would include sustainable aviation fuel as an advanced biofuel under several USDA bioenergy programs that provide support and incentives for renewable energy projects.
19. Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act – which would ensure poultry growers receive fair compensation when federal disease control measures, such as HPAI, impact their operations.
20. A-PLUS Act – which would allow livestock auction market owners to invest in small and regional packing facilities.
21. Butcher Block Act – which would unlock access to grants and affordable loans to help small and family-owned meat processors improve and expand their operations.
22. Increased TSP Access Act of 2025 – which would help our producers access, navigate, and enroll in voluntary conservation programs administered through the USDA.
Feenstra cosponsored 4 bills included in the Farm Bill, either partially or in their entirety:
23. Biochar Research Network Act of 2025 – which would work to increase biochar and its uses as a renewable fuel to test the impact of biochar across various soil types, application methods, and climates.
24. Rural Health Care Facility Technical Assistance Program Act – which would codify and expand the Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program to provide critical support to rural health care facilities.
25. Support for the Healthy Dog Importation Act – which would provide USDA with additional tools to monitor and safeguard the health of dogs imported into the United States.
26. Community College Agriculture Advancement Act – which would establish new capacity grant programs to help community colleges develop and maintain agricultural programs.
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