FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net 

Comment: NSAC Unpacks the House FY26 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

Washington, DC, June 10, 2025 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, ahead of Wednesday’s House Appropriations Committee markup of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

“The FY2026 House bill is a setback for farmers. The proposal makes outsized cuts to relatively small programs in the name of fiscal responsibility, reducing access to new market opportunities and limiting on-farm productivity and resilience, and ultimately leaving farmers and their communities in a lurch. 

“The bill slashes the Value-Added Producer Grant program by 56%; Conservation Technical Assistance by 9%; and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program – the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s only farmer-driven research program – by 16%. The proposal would entirely eliminate funding for two federal programs – the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. The bill also includes language limiting the USDA’s authority under the Packers and Stockyards Act, squelching fair competition for our nation’s livestock and poultry farmers.”

“One bright spot in the bill – report language supporting the important role that direct purchases from local and regional producers play in strengthening local and regional food systems – is unfortunately overshadowed by an underlying bill that disinvests in those same producers.”

On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee released full details of its FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations proposal, including bill text and the report. For details, see NSAC’s FY2026 Appropriations chart.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net