Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
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Would provide FY2026 appropriations for USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies — including roughly $118 billion for SNAP, $36 billion for child nutrition programs, $8.2 billion for WIC, and $7 billion for FDA — to keep federal food, farm, and public health programs running through September 2026.
Beyond the dollar amounts, the bill carries significant policy riders: it would mandate FDA spend at least $200 million cracking down on illegal e-cigarettes, ban Chinese-grown poultry and seafood from school meal programs, amend the definition of hemp one year after enactment, and include the Agriculture Secretary on the panel that reviews foreign purchases of U.S. farmland.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would appropriate FY2026 funding across six titles: agricultural research, marketing, and inspection programs; farm production and conservation; rural development loans and grants; domestic nutrition programs (SNAP, WIC, child nutrition); foreign food assistance; and FDA oversight. The largest single items are SNAP at roughly $118 billion and child nutrition programs at $36 billion. Rural programs would receive loan authority for housing, water systems, electrification, and broadband. USDA research agencies, conservation programs, and the Farm Service Agency would also receive multibillion-dollar appropriations.
Beyond appropriating funds, the bill would set numerous conditions on spending and make targeted law changes. It would rescind approximately $350 million in prior-year unobligated balances, require 30-day advance congressional notification before major fund transfers or reorganizations, prohibit the use of appropriated funds to close FSA county offices or NRCS field offices, and direct a review of transferring the Food for Peace program from USAID to USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.
Key provisions
- 1Would appropriate $118.1 billion for SNAP, including a $3 billion reserve fund, to provide food assistance to low-income households through the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.
- 2Would appropriate $36.3 billion for child nutrition programs — including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs — available through September 30, 2027.
- 3Would appropriate $8.2 billion for WIC, requiring cash-value vouchers be maintained at National Academies-recommended levels and directing at least $90 million for breastfeeding peer counselors.
- 4Would appropriate $7 billion for FDA, drawing from prescription drug, medical device, generic drug, tobacco, and other user fees alongside direct appropriations, with funds allocated by program center.
- 5Would appropriate $1.5 billion for Food for Peace Title II food aid grants and direct a 60-day interagency review of potentially transferring the program from USAID to USDA.
- 6Would require FDA to spend at least $200 million of tobacco user fees on enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes and ENDS products, and update enforcement guidance to cover flavored disposable products within one year.
- 7Would amend the definition of 'hemp' under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 — effective one year after enactment — to exclude synthetic cannabinoids and certain hemp-derived cannabinoid products.
Who would be affected
Approximately 42 million SNAP participants; tens of millions of children in federal school meal and WIC programs; farmers and ranchers using FSA loans, crop insurance, and conservation payments; rural communities receiving USDA housing, water, broadband, and business loans and grants; pharmaceutical, medical device, tobacco, and food companies paying FDA user fees; hemp producers and cannabinoid product manufacturers; and foreign entities seeking to purchase U.S. agricultural land.
Why it matters
SNAP and child nutrition programs together represent well over $150 billion — any funding gap would immediately affect food access for low-income families and children. The bill's policy riders could reshape the hemp-derived cannabinoid marketplace, tighten FDA's enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes, bar Chinese-sourced food from school cafeterias, and give USDA new standing in national-security reviews of foreign farmland acquisitions.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
Updates fiscal year references in sections 9(h)(3), 9(h)(4), and 26(d) from 2025 to 2026 or 2027, extending program authorities.
Amends Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1636i) (Sec. 775)
Extends livestock mandatory reporting authorization from 2025 to 2026.
Amends Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 (7 U.S.C. 1635 note) (Sec. 775)
Extends the Act's authorization from 2025 to 2026.
Amends Multifamily Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1981 (12 U.S.C. 3702) (Sec. 765)
Adds USDA section 514 and 515 housing loans to the definition of covered mortgage types subject to the Act.
Amends Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 381(a)) (Sec. 773)
Expands import refusal authority to cover tobacco products, in addition to drugs and devices, in seven sentences of section 801(a).
Amends Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1639o, hemp definition) (Sec. 781)
Revises the statutory definition of hemp one year after enactment to exclude synthetic cannabinoids, synthesized cannabinoids, and certain hemp-derived cannabinoid products.
Amends Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940c-2(a)) (Sec. 760)
Directs an additional $9.953 million of FY2026 rural economic development funds to be used for rural business development grants.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Hemp definition amendment under Sec. 781 takes effect
- FDA must issue revised fish consumption advice
- FDA must update ENDS enforcement guidance to cover flavored disposable products
- Initial FDA semi-annual ENDS enforcement progress report due
- Obligation plans from USDA, FDA, and Farm Credit Administration due to Appropriations Committees
- Report on hemp definition implementation and cannabinoid marketplace impacts due
Funding and costs
- $118,139,341,000
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance benefits and administration
- $36,285,902,000
Child nutrition programs including National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs
- $8,200,000,000
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- $7,015,038,000
FDA salaries, expenses, and program centers, combining direct appropriations and user fees
- $1,826,778,000
Agricultural Research Service salaries, expenses, and research operations
- $1,715,000,000
Rural Housing Service rental assistance agreements for low-income tenants in USDA-financed housing
- $1,500,000,000
Food for Peace Title II grants for international emergency and development food assistance
- $1,226,000,000
Food Safety and Inspection Service meat, poultry, and egg products inspection
- $1,167,534,000
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service disease, pest, and inspection programs
- $1,089,510,000
National Institute of Food and Agriculture research and education activities
How implementation would work
Agencies would obligate funds according to detailed line-item appropriations and conditions. The bill requires USDA, FDA, and the Farm Credit Administration to submit obligation plans within 30 days of enactment, broken down by program, project, and activity with quarterly updates. Major fund transfers and reprogrammings require 30-day advance written approval from both Appropriations Committees. The FDA must report on user-fee obligations quarterly and withhold a portion of Commissioner office funds pending compliance. APHIS must publish audit results on foreign animal and plant disease controls. Several general provisions restrict use of funds for IT acquisitions, employee details, fleet purchases, and new user fees.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 112.
Official CRS summary
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This bill provides FY2026 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.
The bill provides appropriations to USDA for agricultural programs, including
- the Office of the Secretary,
- Executive Operations,
- the Economic Research Service,
- the National Agricultural Statistics Service,
- the Agricultural Research Service,
- the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,
- the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
- the Agricultural Marketing Service, and
- the Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The bill also provides appropriations to USDA for farm production and conservation programs, including
- the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center,
- the Farm Service Agency,
- the Risk Management Agency, and
- the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The bill provides appropriations to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund and the Commodity Credit Corporation Fund.
For USDA rural development programs, the bill includes appropriations for
- Salaries and Expenses,
- the Rural Housing Service,
- the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and
- the Rural Utilities Service.
The bill provides appropriations to the Food and Nutrition Service for
- Child Nutrition Programs;
- the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);
- the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
- the Commodity Assistance Program; and
- Nutrition Programs Administration.
The bill provides appropriations to the Foreign Agricultural Service for (1) Food for Peace Title II Grants, and (2) McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program Grants.
The bill also provides appropriations for (1) the Food and Drug Administration, and (2) the Farm Credit Administration.
Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.
Legislative subjects
Agricultural conservation and pollution; Agricultural education; Agricultural insurance; Agricultural marketing and promotion; Agricultural research; Agricultural trade; Alabama; Alaska; Animal and plant health; Appropriations; Arizona; California; Census and government statistics; Child health; Commodities markets; Commodity Credit Corporation; Community life and organization; Computers and information technology; Congressional oversight; Data collection, sharing, protection; Department of Agriculture; Department of Health and Human Services; Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation; Drug, alcohol, tobacco use; Economic development; Economics and Public Finance; Education programs funding; Educational technology and distance education; Electric power generation and transmission; Elementary and secondary education; Energy efficiency and conservation; Energy prices; Executive agency funding and structure; Farm Credit Administration; Federal Crop Insurance Corporation; Floods and storm protection; Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Food assistance and relief; Food supply, safety, and labeling; Foreign aid and international relief; Georgia; Government buildings, facilities, and property; Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management; Government information and archives; Government lending and loan guarantees; Government studies and investigations; Hawaii; Hazardous wastes and toxic substances; Health care costs and insurance; Health care coverage and access; Health technology, devices, supplies; Higher education; Horticulture and plants; Housing and community development funding; Housing finance and home ownership; Indian social and development programs; Infrastructure development; Internet, web applications, social media; Kentucky; Land use and conservation; Livestock; Low- and moderate-income housing; Maine; Maryland; Meat; Medical tests and diagnostic methods; Minority education; Mississippi; New Hampshire; New Mexico; New York State; North Carolina; Nutrition and diet; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Poverty and welfare assistance; Prescription drugs; Public housing; Public utilities and utility rates; Regional and metropolitan planning; Research administration and funding; Rural conditions and development; Seafood; Small business; South Carolina; Telecommunication rates and fees; Tennessee; Texas; User charges and fees; Vermont; Veterinary medicine and animal diseases; Virginia; Water quality; Water storage; Watersheds; West Virginia; Wetlands
Committee report
S. Rept. 119-37