Lummis Introduces Farmers and Ranchers Relief Act of 2026 to Clarify Clean Water Act Exemptions

July 14, 2026

Washington D.C. - Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today introduced the Farmers and Ranchers Relief Act of 2026, a bill to strengthen and clarify Clean Water Act Section 404(f) exemptions for farmers, ranchers, and landowners conducting routine land and water management activities.

"Farmers and ranchers shouldn't need a team of lawyers just to maintain a ditch or manage their land the way they always have," said Senator Lummis. "This bill fixes a loophole that never should have existed in the first place. If you're doing the right thing on your own land, the federal government should be the last thing you're worried about."

"Farmers work every day to care for the land and be good stewards of our natural resources, but uncertainty around Clean Water Act permitting can make routine farming practices difficult," said Zippy Duval, President, American Farm Bureau. "AFBF is proud to support Senator Lummis' legislation to clarify Clean Water Act water permitting farming exemptions. Farmers need clear and predictable rules so they can focus on caring for their land, making investments in their farms, and continuing to provide the food, fuel, and fiber America depends on."

"Congress recognized that farmers and ranchers must be able to carry out routine agricultural activities without unnecessary federal permitting requirements, which is why Congress included the Section 404(f) exemption in the Clean Water Act," said Todd Fornstrom, President, Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation. "However, exemptions are only effective when they are clear and consistently applied. Greater certainty is needed to ensure farmers and ranchers can confidently conduct normal farming operations as Congress intended, without the risk of unintended regulatory burdens. We appreciate Senator Lummis's leadership in introducing legislation that provides much-needed clarity and certainty, helping farmers and ranchers continue their work while maintaining their strong commitment to conservation and stewardship."

"Congress never intended for farmers and ranchers to need federal permits for routine agricultural activities on their own land. Yet decades of narrow judicial and administrative interpretations have transformed a commonsense exemption into a regulatory trap for hardworking landowners," said Damien Schiff, Senior Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation. "Pacific Legal Foundation applauds Senator Lummis for introducing legislation to restore the original meaning of the Clean Water Act's Section 404(f) exemption, providing much-needed certainty for farmers, ranchers, and foresters by ensuring that routine farming, ranching, and forestry activities are not subjected to unnecessary federal permitting requirements. This long-overdue reform protects property rights and restores the law Congress actually enacted."

Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Alan Armstrong (R-OK) are cosponsors.

Read the full bill text here.