Senators used the nomination hearing to seek pledges from Richard Fordyce on conservation program promotion, support for young and beginning farmers, and updating farm loan authority.

Chairman Bozeman and several members asked Fordyce to prioritize improvements in farm loan limits and loan-processing times, citing geographic variability in approval times and increasing capital intensity in agriculture. Bozeman said, "Approval times for farm loans vary greatly by state and county and can lead to unacceptable delays at critical times when producers are attempting to purchase land or get seed in the ground." Fordyce, who previously served as FSA administrator when loan limits were last revised, said such adjustments would be appropriate if that is Congress’s intent and reiterated the need to reduce processing delays.

Committee members also emphasized voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs administered by NRCS and FSA. Ranking Member Klobuchar and others described Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program as important tools for wildlife habitat, water quality and soil health. Fordyce committed to working with members on CRP improvements and to using peer-to-peer outreach to broaden participation in EQIP and other practices.

Multiple senators pressed Fordyce on outreach to young and beginning farmers, including mentorship, better communication, and easing barriers to access financial and conservation programs. Fordyce said increasing awareness and targeted outreach would be part of his approach.

Soil-health and regenerative agriculture advocates drew attention to the potential to modernize conservation practices and adoption pathways. Fordyce acknowledged innovation in soil-health practices and pledged to work with senators on conservation priorities in future farm bill discussions.

The committee also asked about targeted programs such as the feral swine eradication funding in recent legislation and specialty initiatives (for example, rotational cropping studies). Fordyce said he would examine authorities and work with stakeholders if confirmed.

No formal policy changes were enacted at the hearing; senators and the nominee agreed to follow up on program details and implementation strategies.