County hears update on draft 2026 Farm Bill and potential impacts on local programs

Matt Tanley, the committee’s presenter, briefed the Kane County Agriculture Committee on the draft 2026 Farm Bill, calling it “a very important piece of legislation” still moving through congressional committees. He said the package is divided into multiple titles, with the nutrition title — including SNAP — accounting for roughly 70% of total spending.

The presentation outlined the legislative path and timing: a House Agriculture Committee vote has advanced a draft, Rules Committee action would set terms for floor debate, and a Senate version must be reconciled; the current extension of the 2018 farm bill runs through Sept. 30, 2026, leaving Congress time to act or extend existing authority.

Tanley described conservation proposals that could directly benefit local farmland protection. He said conservation funding would see a roughly $1.2 billion annual baseline increase and noted a proposed increase to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) from about $450 million to between $650 million and $700 million per year, which could expand federal matching funds for the county’s Farmland Protection Program.

On nutrition and local food programs, Tanley said the draft would replace the Local Food Purchase Assistance program with a “local farmers feeding our communities” program and that the new baseline would be about $200 million lower than the prior $400 million figure. Committee members asked whether states would be expected to fill that gap; Tanley said states could create supplemental programs but he could not confirm a specific offset.

The draft also proposes changes that would affect easement eligibility and matching: increasing the federal match baseline to 65% with up to 90% for projects involving socially disadvantaged landowners, and removing the adjusted gross income limit that previously excluded higher‑income farms from some programs. Tanley said the draft would also create greater flexibility for modifying easement deed terms.

Other highlights the presenter flagged included a proposed public database identifying foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, potential EQIP reimbursement up to 90% for adoption of precision agriculture and AI technologies, and continued staffing reductions at USDA that could affect customer service. Tanley said there was limited specific attention to farm labor and the H‑2A program in the current draft.

Committee members pressed for clarification on terms and local implications. One member said the proposed reduction in local food program baseline funding could deepen food insecurity if state offsets do not materialize. The committee asked staff and lobbyists to continue tracking the bill and advocate where appropriate.

The committee did not take any formal action on the bill; members directed staff to monitor developments and report back as the bill proceeds through Congress.