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Farm Bill

Why the Farm Bill Matters

The Farm Bill ensures we have a safe and affordable food supply that enhances the health of the nation.

Historically, the Farm Bill is what ensures that people have access to nutrition security programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), Community Food Projects, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).

Through these programs and investments in agricultural research, commodity support for farmers, and policies that promote healthy eating, the Farm Bill strengthens access to nutritious food and protects the health and well-being of the nation.

Legislation

The Farm Bill is a multi year omnibus law that covers numerous agricultural and food programs. This provides policymakers with the opportunity to address a wide range of issues that is reauthorized every 5 years. The last Farm Bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) was extended in the American Relief Act of 2025 until September 2025. This act was again extended until September 30, 2026 as part of a larger spending package that ended the government shutdown in November 2025.

References

The Academy's Stance on the Farm Bill

The Academy is advocating for the 119th U.S. Congress to pass a Farm Bill that maintains the integrity of nutrition assistance programs, ensures vital funding for nutrition education and nutrition research, and improves marketplace, demand and equitable access to nourishing foods.

Specifically, the Academy's goals with the Farm Bill focus on strengthening and expanding federal nutrition programs and interventions that improve nutrition security and promote health equity.

The Academy also supports providing adequate funding in workforce development programs and a strong science portfolio that informs development and enhancement of nutrition program content and high-quality, systematic monitoring and evaluation provide guidance for structuring and strengthening consumer education implementation and delivery systems.

Additionally, the Academy aims to support producers and retailers of all sizes, with an emphasis on those from underrepresented groups to meet current and future demand for healthful and diverse foods.

The Academy has developed the following recommendations to support these goals:

The Academy advocates for:

Nutrition Education for the Public

  • Reinstating funds for a national nutrition education program, tailored for local community needs to promote long-term health.
  • Funding for a training and technical assistance resource center to provide training and evidence-based support for federal nutrition education programs.
  • Doubling the investment in the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) and eliminating the mandatory state match.
  • Provide sufficient funding for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).
  • Increase community and stakeholder involvement in nutrition education interventions.

Federal Nutrition Programs

  • Increasing access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by modernizing benefit delivery, eliminating online grocery delivery fees, raising older adult participation, and bringing parity to U.S. territories.
  • Ensuring adequate SNAP benefit and encourage technology innovations to make healthful foods that align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans more affordable.
  • Update SNAP retailer standards and expanding retailer types to increase access and availability to healthful foods.
  • Lower barriers to SNAP participation for military members/families, college students, immigrants, and people with disabilities.
  • Authorize The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) with at least $500M in mandatory annual funding.
  • Increase funding for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable and the Farm to School Programs.
  • Reauthorize and increase funds for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
  • Enable Tribal governments to administer all federal nutrition programs and expand Native-grown procurement options.
  • Making it possible for eligible people to access the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and SNAP in the same month.

The Academy advocates for:

  • Directing federal funding for nutrition monitoring to identify vulnerable populations.
  • Increasing Agricultural and Food Research Initiative funding for a diverse agriculture and nutrition workforce, and research connecting nutrition, agriculture, and climate change.
  • Increasing Human Nutrition Research Centers funding and strengthening nutrition programming and research linkages through the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research.
  • Maintaining and increasing funds for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative.
  • Funding evaluation and program expertise to assess health outcomes related to nutrition status.

The Academy advocates for:

  • Funding and supporting initiatives that expand availability of regionally grown food; incentivizing healthful food; evaluating program effectiveness; improving diet quality, food security and fiscal responsibility.
  • Funding for solutions to increase access to healthful food in underserved areas, including the Healthy Food Financing Initiative.
  • Funding to support next-generation farmers from historically marginalized communities with land access, skills, and incentives to grow healthful foods to promote health equity.
  • Funding for conservation, subsidy, and insurance programs that safeguard soil, water, air, habitat, and biodiversity and promote sustainability, carbon emission reduction, and nutrition quality.
  • Increasing funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grants to support food safety and increase dietary diversity.
  • Supporting supply chain innovation for regional agriculture and food security.

Get Involved

Use the resources below to learn more about the Farm Bill and advocate for our priorities with your policymakers. Receive policy and advocacy status updates and connect with fellow Academy members focused on nutrition security by joining the Nutrition Security Affinity Group, which meets quarterly.

Farm Bill Advocacy Resources

References

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