House Passes Farm Bill, Bresnahan-Led Local Farmers Feeding Our Community Act

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) and the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, this year's Farm Bill, by a bipartisan vote of 224-200. The package included Rep. Bresnahan's bipartisan legislation, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act, which will help build stronger connections between local producers, and community food programs, expanding markets and improving access to healthy food for those in need.

"We owe it to our farmers to make sure federal policy works as hard as they do," said Rep. Bresnahan. "I'm proud this final bill includes my bipartisan legislation to connect families in need with fresh food grown right here in our communities. This Farm Bill delivers real support for farmers here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and across the country by addressing the challenges they're facing and advancing practical, bipartisan solutions for our rural communities."

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act will allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. Through these agreements, funds will be used to purchase local, fresh, and minimally processed foods like seafood, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, and poultry. The bill also sets aside a portion of these funds to purchase food specifically from small, mid-size, beginning, and veteran farmers.

Rep. Bresnahan first introduced the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act on July 30, 2025. In August, he held a roundtable with local farmers, food banks, and community food advocates to share firsthand accounts on the importance of supporting local agriculture and food access. His legislation was included in the Farm Bill, which passed out of the House Committee on Agriculture on March 5, 2026.

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 also:

• Creates a standing lock grant authority for future disaster payments.
• Emphasized science, technology, and innovation, including within the conservation practice standards establishment and review processes.
• Prioritizes innovation and improves access to nutrition programs that support our farmers and neighbors in need.
• Creates a stronger, more sustainable connection between health and federal nutrition programs.
• Provides new resources to new, young, beginning, and veteran farmers in their transition to farming and ranching.
• Strengthens broadband connectivity to rural communities.
• Protects access to healthcare in rural America.
• Enhances efforts to meet the childcare demands of rural areas.
• Addresses existing workforce challenges within rural communities to effectively meet their needs.
• Invests in and strengthens rural water infrastructure.
• Supports research and development for the specialty crop industry.
• Allows for critical cost and energy savings by increasing access to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
• Supports specialty crop producers by directing Specialty Crop Block Grant program administrators to consult with producers when setting priorities for the program.
• Maintains funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program and improves program delivery through simplified applications.
• Continues support for organic production through the National Organic Program, Organic Production and Market Data Initiative, and National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program.
• Enhances protections for dogs covered under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
• Directing the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a national campaign to increase public knowledge on the dangers of the invasive species known as spotted lanternflies.

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