The Farm Bill Set to Move through the Senate!
The House passed its version of the Farm Bill earlier this spring, and it was missing key pieces our SD farmers need. The Senate has an opportunity to do better! Dakota Rural Action has long advocated for policies that will strengthen our local food system, support small- and mid-scale producers over corporations, and ensure families can access nourishing food. After a year of intense market volatility, severe weather disasters, and a drastically reduced federal workforce, farmers and the American food system at large have been hit hard. We urgently need to pass a farm bill that would offer a new way forward, that does not sacrifice the needs of SD family farmers for political gains.
recap- what was in the House Farm Bill?
This spring, the House passed their update to the Farm Bill, H.R. 7567, also referred to as the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026” — but it falls woefully short of what small- and mid-sized farmers need in farm country right now.
The House bill did not include Rep. Hageman’s (R-WY) bill that would restore Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (M-COOL). M-COOL would improve transparency for consumers and help level the playing field against the multi-national corporations that control much of the meat industry. Not including M-COOL is a loss for SD Beef producers.
The original bill language would have set nationwide labeling standards for pesticides, superseding state and local regulations, thereby providing a legal shield for pesticide companies against liability claims. A late amendment took this language out! South Dakotans should note that Representative Dusty Johnson voted against the amendment. His vote shows that he supports legal shields for pesticide companies over public health and due process. In fact, this protection for pesticide companies is in line with a bill that he has sponsored in past congressional sessions.
A pilot program for local pork processing known as the PRIME Act was included in the house bill. This is in line with a SD law that was just passed in the 2026 legislative session. This program would enable pork producers to sell product processed in custom-exempt slaughter facilities direct to consumers within state borders, supporting local food systems without compromising food safety. Including this bill is a good move for SD producers.
The Senate has an opportunity to do more, and we must let them know our priorities.
Learn more about DRA’s priorities for the Farm Bill here.
Thanks to our national partners at the National Family Farm Coalition and National Sustainable Ag Coalition for support in this action.