Washington Roundup – February 2026
By: Lowell Randel
House Agriculture Committee Releases Farm Bill Legislation
On Friday, February 13th, the House Agriculture Committee released its version of Farm Bill Legislation, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. The legislation, also known as Farm Bill 2.0, builds on the Farm Bill provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in 2025. The OBBBA focused on major budgetary programs, but was not able to address non-budgetary policy updates due the nature of budget reconciliation. The newly released bill reauthorizes the remaining Farm Bill programs, and updates and adds policies across the twelve Farm Bill titles.
The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to consider the bill the week of March 2nd. Chairman Thompson has indicated plans to move the bill through committee and have it approved by the full House by the end of April.
Below is a short summary of the Research Title of the bill provided by the committee:
Title VII: Research, Extension, and Related Matters. Keeps American agriculture at the forefront of innovation and productivity through cutting-edge research while supporting the nation’s land-grant and non-land-grant colleges of agriculture.
- Supports research and development for the specialty crop industry and allocates funding specifically for research for mechanization and automation technologies.
- Provides continued support for 1890 institutions.
- Supports competitive and capacity funding for research, extension, and education activities.
- Promotes interagency coordination to further agricultural research at other federal agencies.
Additional details on the legislation, including detailed summaries and full text, can be found HERE.
Supreme Court Rules Against IEEPA Tariffs, Trump Moves to Other Tariff Authorities
On Friday, February 20th, the Supreme Court issued a long-anticipated ruling on President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to issue wide-ranging tariffs. The ruling impacts tariffs on countries related to fentanyl, such as Mexico, Canada and China, as well as reciprocal tariffs placed on a multitude of countries. The court did not address the issue of refunds for tariffs collected under the IEEPA. Resolution of potential refunds will likely be settled by lower courts and could take a long time to resolve. In response to the court’s decision, President Trump has issued an order to utilize Section 122 authority to impose 15 percent tariffs in place of those used under IEEPA. Section 122 allows tariffs to be administered for a period of 150 days. The Trump Administration is also exploring other existing tariff authorities that could also be used. The overall impacts to agricultural trade remain uncertain as the tariff policies continue to evolve.
USDA Announces Plans to Shutter South Building in Washington, DC
On February 25th, Secretary Rollings, alongside other USDA officials and the Administrator of the General Services Administration, announced the imminent disposal of the South Building and Braddock Place locations currently utilized by USDA. USDA has states that the move returns resources to the American taxpayer, effectuating the vision of President Donald J. Trump, and reducing the real estate footprint of the U.S. Government in the National Capital Region. Rollins stated that more than 85 percent of the South Building is unoccupied and there is a $1.6 billion backlog in deferred maintenance. Today’s announcement is part of USDA’s larger reorganization efforts that are expected to move forward in 2026.
USDA Proposes Rule to Speed Pork and Poultry Production Lines
On February 17th, USDA announced proposed updates to federal line speed regulations in poultry and pork establishments operating under modern inspection systems. USDA’s proposals would update processing requirements for poultry and pork establishments operating under modern inspection systems. The changes would update limits by allowing eligible establishments to operate at speeds supported by their processes, equipment and food safety performance, with FSIS maintaining full oversight. The proposals maintain full federal oversight in every establishment and reaffirm the authority of inspectors to slow or stop operations whenever inspection cannot be performed effectively. According to USDA, these updates reflect years of data and experience, and are designed to lower costs for American families, reduce outdated regulatory barriers for processors, and support a more efficient and resilient food supply.
