as not going far enough to couple food assistance with farming practices. The House Agriculture Committee advanced the 2024 version of the proposal, but it was never scheduled for a vote. Introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., the bill passed out of that committee March 5, receiving glowing support from local farm groups and the California Farm Bureau. “The biggest thing farmers need is the Farm Bill. The fact that it’s taken so long is disappointing,” said Jennifer Beretta, a fourth-generation dairy farmer who’s the president of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. Beretta would like to see the proposal pass since, for one, it will update price standards farmers receive for their crops at a time when costs for everything in life and disasters relative to animal health have risen dramatically. “We can’t just go to Clover and say we need more money,” said Beretta, who sells the Santa Rosa farm’s milk to Clover Sonoma. “We’ve had to deal with fuel surcharges, and California always tends to be higher in fuel prices.” And with multi-year drought seasons like what the region experienced in 2022, the problem becomes two-fold as North Bay farmers scramble to find feed as far away as Idaho. During these periods, Marin County farms, in particular, have even been forced to truck water in when local reservoir sources dry up. California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass lauded the proposal for updating risk management programs and adding new funding for rural development and market access initiatives. And at a time when segments among the over 70,000 farms and ranches in the state are facing challenges in its $51 billion ag industry, the proposal expands research and mechanization efforts, along with improvements in forestry and wildfire mitigation programs. “Although more work remains, we are hopeful lawmakers will continue to push this critical legislation forward in order to deliver a much-needed win for farmers and ranchers across the country,” Douglass said. g
Draft Farm Bill in a nutshell n Commodities: updates price formulas from the 1930s and 1940s. n Conservation: supports environmental stewardship programs and helps producers gain tools to manage risk and improve land productivity. n Nutrition: extends complementary nutrition and food distribution tools; reauthorizes USDA’s fresh fruit and vegetable purchases for schools and institutions as well as codifies strong “buy American” principles. n Research: reauthorizes and reforms USDA’s research agencies and programs and increases funding for specialty crop research. n Rural development: modernizes programs aimed at propping up the farm economy such as improvements to broadband technology. n Crop insurance: grants funding for research and policy development related to “underserved” commodities like wine grapes; expands support for startup farmers; elevates higher coverage at a more affordable rate; creates a pilot program for poultry farmers facing production risks.
n Horticulture marketing regulatory reform: allows for funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program n Forestry: focuses on wildfire prevention, forest restoration, rural economic development and regulatory streamlining
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, during a visit to a North Bay vineyard. [Courtesy of the Office of Rep. Mike Thompson]
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March | April 2026
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